Bloodmoon Hunt
by OWLSIES
Summary: AU. Lord Asami Ryuichi is a vampire lord of his own empire; the Silverbloods. These vampires prey on the blood of humans, opposing this abhorrent feasting are the cave dwelling vampires. Meanwhile a Bloodmoon is coming… What is this hunt? Read prologue for more info. Contains partially edited chapters, read at own risk. Unedited chapters do not have edited version written on top.
1. The List

BLOODMOON HUNT

AU

This fanfic was writen for non-profit reasons.

Contains cross-over with Crimson spell.

After a vote, majority leaned for mpreg, sorry for those who are squeamish about it, I'll keep it mild as possible.

Edited version.

* * *

 **{~0~}**

 **Prologue**

The long shadows of the pine forest shrouded the entrance of a cave, its crumbled hill appearance made it inconspicuous to a passing wanderer, but was home to most elusive species of vampire; the cave dwelling vampires. Secluded from the rest of the world these folks resided in the inner sanctums of the Earth, only feeding on wildlife when necessary, not all vampires saw humans as food. A long time ago they once made the upper land their home, they settled nicely in wooden houses and practiced a religion that encouraged peace and harmony. They offered a warm reception to humans as well and bonded with a few, prompting a protective stance against other vampires who sought to consume human life. However the emphasis of benevolence in a society eventually led them to ruin, for their lack of military power and wealth left them exposed to those who yearn to conquer or inflict violence. This drove them into hiding where they had found a safe haven underground, with a few humans joining their company. From there onwards the cave dwellers chose a life of isolation and secrecy.

But after several centuries, their tranquillity was rudely disrupted when an invasive species of land vampires, so called 'the Silverbloods' discovered their existence and decided to include them in their sordid hunt that occurred in time when the full moon transitioned to a colour of blood. During this period, man or woman, one by one would be snatched away and forced into marital rituals before being branded as their spouse. This ancient hunt was known as the Bloodmoon Hunt. It was a game of spousal selection, or to say kidnap, and would begin once the night started and finish when the sun dawned to cease their nocturnal hunting. It was believed that consummation during this phenomenon would grant them everlasting blessing in their marriage. Ten days until the next hunt commences. The cave dwellers had already sealed their entrance shut tight with boulders, barring anybody from entering. A secret backdoor was prepared in case of an emergency evacuation. They were a tad confident in their defence against the participants this time, unlike the previous hunt where their defences were so easily broken in to.

The founder and leader of the Silverbloods was no other than Asami Ryuichi. The vampire lord was greatly feared, yet revered at the same time, his name wielded power and influence across the globe and he had earned a legion of loyal followers in his domain, large enough to form an empire, which later expanded to an entire country. He was also single but had never shown interest to the hunt but he would allow his followers to take part in it. He had no need for a spouse, the man was too delved in his duties with maintaining order. But aside from this, Asami had the ability to manipulate others and bend them over to his will, except for one colony thus far…the cave dwellers, his closest neighbour and nicknamed by other vampires as the 'bat' people. Rumours claim that these cave dwellers hung upside down when they slept, this was proven to be incredibly false.

Asami disliked these cave dwellers for many reasons. The first was their persistent disapproval of human blood consumption since the Silverbloods sought to greedily consume it. In protest, they would graffiti the outskirts of his city and send flying pigs over his castle wall with a sign written: 'Bacon is tasty not humans'. The second was their inability to integrate with his society or come to a formal agreement about anything to improve their diplomatic relationship. And the last and foremost was lies! The cave dwellers were sly creatures, always sneakily eluding from his pursuing men once they had committed a petty crime. They would use fresh animal fur, mud and leaves to mask their scent. Therefore Asami's men could not pin point to the exact culprit since the dwellers would always deny their involvement. It was obvious it was one of them but Asami did not view them as a threat, rather a pest to his patience. He could easily smite their colony but to rage battle on cave 'bats' and risk the lives of his soldiers while there were other hostile enemies such as werewolves and humans, fighting would be futile. A waste of time. Asami would just have to capitulate to their fulminating jabs, no matter how much it irritated him. No harm was generated, thus he needed no reason to eradicate them.

This year the cave dwellers were planning to take matters into their own hands, Silverblood or not, their resentment pushed them into devising a plan of retaliation. It was risky, but if it worked this could cancel the hunt.

…||[]||…

 **Day 0-The List**

Sometime late at night not far from Asami's Castle.

"Okay Takaba. Looks good. And you smell like thin air. Remember the plan, Takato and I will create the distraction." Kou finished spraying a special perfume onto his friend. The fluid it contained took a lengthy period of three months to brew. Vampires have a sophisticated sense of smell, so to successfully infiltrate they needed to obliterate their pheromones. Cave dwellers were knowledgeable in the arts of alchemy but their practice remains hidden from outsiders.

Akihito was dressed in an exquisite robe representative of the Victorian Era. Its fabric colour was dark red but warm like wine and its collar was high and parted in the middle, giving definition to his narrow jaw. Below his neck, frills of white lace were spread and hung fashionably, his wrist sleeves were buttoned over his grey silk gloves and he wore brown leather boots that blended well with his evening attire.

"Okay you got the sheep settled?" Akihito asked as he placed on top a black cloak to temporarily cover his outfit. The three were hidden behind an abandoned stable, its dilapidated structure and overgrown weeds made it an ideal location to rendezvous in secret.

"Yup." Takato clicked his tongue and offered a tasty forb to a sheep that was about to bleat.

"Then lets hope this works." Akihito respired in a deeply before pulling a hood over his head. He moved quickly across the fields and towards the castle wall, security was on high alert but after years of reconnaissance the cave dwellers had located a few blind spots that would enable them to sneak through undetected. Akihito swung a grappling hook attached to a rope in circles before casting it over the stone wall. He then tugged it a few times to make sure it was secure enough to handle his weight. Climbing over with the nimble limbs of cat he leaped and plopped down onto the other side, landing safely in the garden hedges, creating a soft rustle. Akihito spied at the entrance of the gothic castle through the gaps of the bushes. The affluent men and woman were conversing so heartily like there was no suffering in the world as they ambled inside. Today held a ball, it was an annual event Asami would host in celebration of the founding of his empire. It was this day that all nations had recognised him as the official ruler of the East. Only VIPs were invited to this event, Akihito was posing as a male aristocrat that was supposedly attending, but he won't be, not for a while at least. The man was assailed on his way by cave dwellers whom had disguised themselves as werewolves. If any accusations were to be made, it maybe directed to the dogs…maybe. Though Akihito wouldn't mingle with the guests per se, he needed at least some backup source to prove his invitation.

Removing his cloak, Akihito made sure the coast was clear before he emerged from the bush, patting away the leaves that clung to his robe then fixing his hair. Akihito saw a chance in sneaking through and immediately tailgated behind an overweight guest who was surrounded by a harem of woman, their voluptuous curves and exposed thighs had Akihito staring for a moment before he shook himself out of his thoughts. Due to his smell being masked and overpowered by the females aromatic perfume he slipped past their radar without arousing suspicion. He sighed in relief when he made it past security. Now it was time to find the list. The vampire lord would be occupied by his guests, giving him time to raid through his property.

Akihito sauntered past the guests gossiping amongst each other, giving those who made eye contact with him a brief smile before walking away. Classical music was being played in the background and the instruments strummed a beautiful tune throughout the chandelier lit hallways. The castle had a palatial interior typical of vampire lord. The carpets were laid in blood red, creepy gargoyles cornered the ceiling and a central staircase greeted the enterer. However it won't be long until someone would take an interest in him, so he set about to make an excuse in order to avoid being drawn into a conversation. Akihito took a glass of wine off a waiter's platter, pretending to sip before turning and purposely bumping himself into a stranger and spilling a little on his robe, the two exchanged apologies and Akihito excused himself away from the party in search of a quieter place. Golden eyes followed him from the level above, scrutinising the unfamiliar presence that was wandering about. Akihito waited for his friends to give the signal before he would proceed deeper into the castle. At any moment it should happen, the boy swallowed in anticipation.

 _Boom, Crack, Sizzle._

"Baaaaaaaa! Ba! Baaah!"

A herd of panic-stricken sheep scampered into the ballroom without warning. Small firecrackers were attached to their ankles, popping simultaneously and emitting a loud crack, this induced a hysterical reaction from the sheep and it drove them straight into the guests. The band stopped playing and the hall was soon replaced by a raucous of sheep baaing and people shrieking— with the women screeching being the most piercing to the ear. The sheep, once bunched, were now scattered all over the ballroom, creating a scene of chaos where multiple guests were seen knocked over by a charging sheep, pushed by others, slipping from wine spillage, or having their elegant dresses brushed up and revealing the fine panties beneath it. The castle guards who were dressed in black robe-like uniforms, abandoned their stations to contain the maddening outbreak. They attempted to shepherd them to one side by waving their arms but the sheep were overwhelmed by fear and responded with fight or flight when cornered.

Lord Asami Ryuichi, the oldest vampire and leader watched in shame at the humiliating sight that was bound to hurt his reputation. His dark eyebrows furrowed and eyelids narrowed furiously. This was the worst prank inflicted on him. Now he had to endure the ignominy of apologising to his honoured guests. After that he would need to reprimand the cave dwellers, maybe this time even threaten them. His thoughts then shifted to the blond stranger that he had never met in person, Asami had a keen eye for memorising those he'd encounter. Though it seems that the handsome trespasser had already vanished from the scene. This was interesting. The vampire lord decided to follow after him while his men tried to neutralize the mayhem.

Akihito rummaged around Asami's office room, he opened every cabinet that existed in his reach, flicking through the piles of paper and skimming through the text before dumping the irrelevant documents back in its place. Time wasn't on his side and he needed to fasten his search, he ducked towards the wooden desk and pulled open a drawer where he had found a small rectangular box inside, he mumbled a prayer underneath his breath while rubbing his hands together eagerly. Its casing had a lock to its design so Akihito withdrew a lock pick from his pocket and stuck it in the hole before twisting it until he heard a click. Success. Akihito had unlocked the case. His eyes lit as he saw a golden paper, as he unfold it in his hands he let out a silent yes and squealed euphorically within.

He had found the list.

Tracing over the names with his finger, he counted to a total of twenty-four Silverbloods participating in the bloodmoon hunt. Akihito needed to retain this list and show it to his father — the chieftain of the cave dwelling vampires. Before leaving Akihito replaced the list with a personal note of his own before closing it. Now it was time to escape while he had the chance. Akihito unlocked the window latch and positioned himself ready to jump down...that was when the door swung open. The vampire lord had come and his eyes lit up in surprise at the intruder in his private office. Akihito shot a cheeky wink and a protruding tongue at the older vampire before leaping down. He landed safely on his feet, thanks to his racial ability. Was Lord Asami going to pursue after him? He hoped not. Akihito sprinted away and did an aerobic flip over the blocking shrubs. While the guards scrambled about the front courtyard to remove the sheep from the castle, Akihito was able to walk through their unguarded gates. Now out of the danger zone he regrouped with his friends behind the stable.

"You got the list?" Kou and Takato paced to Akihito excitedly. The boy waved the paper with a wide grin of success in front of his friends.

"Nice! Woohoo, we did it!" The three rejoiced as they jumped into a group hug. "Now we can start planning on who to target to stop the hunt."

"But first we must get back." Akihito placed the list safely in his pocket, they then hurried back to inform their people of the good news.

Back in Asami's private office.

Kirishima entered the room to find his sire seated behind his desk with a faint smirk. His gaze remained fixed on the paper Akihito had placed in his case. "Lord Asami, the sheep have been removed and your guests are about to leave. Is everything alright?"

"It appears I've found the bat responsible for sending me such a gift." Asami planted the paper on his desk and slid it towards his loyal servant. The secretary downcast his eyes to examine the material. He laughed inwardly after seeing the childish drawing of a scrumptious pig with angel wings and sharp fangs.

"What will you have me do? Did you want me to send out—"

"Not yet." Asami interrupted. The older vampire rose from his seat and adjusted the inner side of his leather coat. "I have another idea, lets do a bit of scouting first shall we?"

"Scouting? But we already have eyes on their doorstep."

"Think Kirishima, do you believe this was the work of my foes or some cave bat."

"I see." Kirishima understood what his master was conveying.

Just as Asami was about to leave his office to apologise to his discontented guests he glanced to Kirishima for a favour. "One more thing, have my servants prepare my belongings for a hunt."

The secretary scratched his head confusedly as Asami left. "What hunt?"

Bloodmoon Hunt?


	2. Sly

_**Notice the names of the characters will be slightly different from the other chapters due to partial editing.**_

 ** _Val was changed to Vald._**

Edited version.

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 **{~0~}**

 **Sly**

Panting and sprinting through the forest their movement was fast and light, swift wind slashed against the ferns as they zoomed by. They didn't stop to rest, they were feeling exhilarated and even forgot about the feeling of tiredness. As they arrived closer to home they detoured elsewhere from the main entrance and towards a secret passage by the cliffs, they kept a lookout as they entered through a narrow gap of an elderly tree one by one, inside the tree its trunk was hollow, its dying remains acted as a natural shelter for a cave that was well hidden by an overgrowth of green moss and overhanging vines. Within this cave lay an intricate network of tunnels from which only the cave dwellers knew which route to take in order to return home — they had acquired this knowledge since childhood. Hence it was stick to one set passage or get lost in an endless maze of darkness.

A repugnant smell of sulphur attacked their sensitive noses, almost knocking them backwards into each other. Akihito and his friends would occasionally find decomposing corpses of animals, rarely humans along the way. Most deaths occur due to starvation or from open wounds that had been left untreated. Ignoring the stench from a rotting squirrel, they continued onwards, brimming with the excitement to announce their success. Finally approaching at a dead end, Akihito pressed his finger on a button that was well camouflaged to the side of the cave wall. With a soft rumble, dust ungratified and the stone door parted ajar.

They had arrived back home.

Hyperventilating breaths relaxed to normal. It was safe to forget about the outside danger, nothing could potentially harm them in this rocky fortress. Akihito and his friends stood on the highest level overseeing the main cavern, aka the capital of their underground kingdom. Happiness radiated from their smile, the remarkable sight of their home filled them with a warm sense of familiarity and hope. The main cavern was the core to their society, it was a place of gather, celebration and rest. Its vast space made the claustrophobic feel absent, like a whole new world upside down and the sky was high and almost impossible to reach. But unlike the outside world coloured by flora and fauna, the cave had its own inner beauty. Stalactites and stalagmites protruded out like sharp teeth, sometimes meeting to form monumental columns, a river streamed steadily on the ground floor, flowing from and away the canals it was linked to, this provided them with constant clean water. The cave dwellers were creative and decided to make use of the irregular land formation, they chiselled a pathway that started from bottom then spiralled around the entire cavern and to the top, creating multiple levels, each level was then excavated into to create storage rooms or homes for each family. They would use either wood or thick curtains as doors for their respective habitation.

A majority of cave dwellers gathered on the lower ground, a few families were sitting by the water bank, others mingled in front of the wooden stage while the children nearby frolicked around the tall stalagmites. A minority of these younglings were adopted humans who were left orphaned for unknown reasons. Though in spite of their racial difference the vampire children grew familiar to their scent, eventually welcoming them as their fellow siblings. Of course some did bite, but nearby adults were quick to chide and discipline those who broke the rules. Nevertheless, the total population of this colony was approximately ninety two dwellers — the number was higher before the bloodmoon hunt. Each individual was assigned with a duty of care and task in order to maintain a functional society, duties were often rotated for experience and work-related fairness. Those who were trained in a specialized field such as hunting or nursing were less frequently rotated than others but still had to acquire knowledge in other areas such as crafting and cleaning.

There were other cave-dwelling colonies out there too, but what made this one special was their strength in unity and defiance. After they were defeated on the surface by rampaging enemies their crumbling spirits healed overtime. They became resilient, stronger and smarter. However their personality was not the only reason why the Silverbloods were attracted to them, the cave dwellers possess a unique beauty rarely seen on land, no matter how poor they lived or how drab their clothes were, they had a face that looked as if it had been carved out by angels; slim in the jaw, silky pale skin, and doll-like eyes. The woman were adorable, not too small or too tall, just the right size for a cuddle and a kiss, the men were similar, though their soft features made them appear androgynous. Most hate being compared to their female counterparts and stride for a more manlier appearance, this meant the need to body-build and the need to grow facial hair, though this growth would take months before a stubble would even be noticeable, so many gave up on growing a beard and preferred a clean shave.

Akihito and his friends descend down the sloping spiral, a fellow dweller spotted the three.

"They're back!" A curly blond-haired woman alerted the others of their coming presence. All eyes, dull from anxious thoughts, awoke to life and shifted to where she had indicated.

"Oi we're home!" Akihito waved to his people with a grin.

"They made it back safely!" Their faces brightened with joy and relief at the miracle sight of their return from a dangerous quest. They surrounded the boys and arms extended out to proudly hug and congratulate them, giving out a convivial atmosphere in this dark time.

"Well done boys! Glad to see you home"

"Akihiiito! My proudest achievement!" Came the deep voice of the chieftain. The crowd shuffled aside to make room for their leader. There stood a giant figure, Akihito's father, unlike his son Takaba Masato was a brawny man, his height intimidated those below him, his hair colour was the same as Akihito's but it lacked the same youthful style, instead he had long hair that stood thick and wild like a lion's mane, complimenting this hairstyle was his facial hair and goatee which added a couple of decades to his once young look. Masato's favourite clothing was a brown samurai hakama that parted slightly in the middle to reveal his muscular chest, all of this herculean structure was awarded from countless years of boulder lifting and he was boastful about it.

"Father!"

"Akii-kun!" Masato greeted his son with a big hug, ruffling his hair childishly before nudging his cheek with a chuckle. "What news do you bring us my boy?"

Without saying much Akihito brought out the golden paper and raised it up high in the air. "We've obtained the list!"

"He's got the list!" The people cheered with enliven expressions. "We're saved!"

"My son has obtained the participant list! We have a chance at annulling the hunt!" Masato crushed his son with another hug and with one fist raised in the air, flailing victoriously.

"Excuse me, sorry, excuse me." A fellow dweller with auburn brown hair, similar in appearance to Akihito, squeezed his way through the tight crowd. Following behind him was a sorcerer with long silvery hair, he was dressed in a grey mage robe and held a white staff in his left hand. "Aki!"

"Vald! Halvir! It worked!" Akihito broke free from his father's grasp to converse with the two.

"Of course it did. It took—" The sorcerer spoke but was interrupted by Masato.

"Everybody thank Halvir for developing our newest weapon in evading the enemy!" The chieftain singled him out for laudation.

"Wai—wai—" Halvir protested with his free hand but it was too late. The crowd had swarmed him with hugs. They then turned to do same to Akihito and his friends again, back and forth until they were feeling asphyxiated.

"Okay people that's enough, they need to breathe too. Come on." Masato intervened and the people released them. "Okay good. Alright everyone, since we now have the list we'll do what we can to sabotage these hunters."

"Sabotage! Sabotage!" The cave dwellers chanted.

Masato smiled, the spirit of his people had returned. "Dawn is approaching, get some rest my dear brothers and sisters. Tomorrow we shall hold a meeting when midnight strikes. That night shall be the night we plan out our move." The cave dwellers clapped and jumped excitedly. Soon they were off to bed and the chatters faded into the distant, the sound of water gently rippling returned to fill the silence.

Halvir turned to the three boys with his palm out. "Potion please."

"Aww can we keep it?" Kou pouted as he held it to his chest possessively.

"No. It is not a toy."

"Fine." He gave in and returned the purple crystal vial to its creator.

"So how did it go Aki?" Vald nudged his younger cousin with an elbow.

"Not bad."

"No one suspected you of anything?"

"Suspect?" Then Akihito remembered. He mentally smacked his forehead, Asami. He was so stupid, his damn cheekiness got the better of him, reckless youth fear nothing when they're pumped with adrenalin. Akihito faked a laugh and denied being seen after he saw how proud his father was.

Vald sighed harshly. "Ha, at least you had fun, I had to guard the entrance, even though its blocked by rocks."

"Did any of the Silverbloods notice anything odd about your scent?" Halvir interviewed him on the effectiveness of his product.

"Nope." Akihito shook his head.

"Good."

Masato stole their attention when he placed a hand on both Vald and Akihito's shoulder. "I'm proud on all of you. Together we shall save this colony. There won't be a repeat like the previous hunt fifty years ago." He looked down at the new generation, young and naive to the real world. "I'm glad none of you weren't born during that horrendous period." He eyed the sorcerer. "Halvir I'm also glad you've decided to join us, our alchemists are extremely impressed with your brewing skills."

The sorcerer merely grunted at the praises. The sangfroid human had recently joined the colony after he had been involved in a romantic relationship with Vald. Afraid that his precious cave-dwelling vampire would be snatched away during the Bloodmoon Hunt, Halvir decided to deploy all of his will to protect what was claimed to be his.

"Now all of you get some rest. You need it. And Aki, well done. I knew you could pull through this my son." Masato ruffled Akihito's hair once again, this time even messier.

"Hey, stop hahaha." The blond chuckled along with his father's playfulness.

Meanwhile back at the Asami Castle.

The vampire lord was seated in his private office with his elbows rested on the exquisite table. Intertwined fingers leaned against his thin lips as he listened to a lanky aristocrat with a bruised eye and a swollen bump on his forehead.

"And they even took my family necklace. You know how irreplaceable that is! These skinny werewolves they were so barbaric." The vampire complained, he gesticulated with every word and sighed after every sentence, his distracting demeanour made it hard to watch.

"I don't think they're wolves sire." A servant of the aristocrat suggested meekly.

"Don't interrupt me serf!"

"Let him speak." Asami shot a glare at the guest for his disdainful manner. He wanted critical details about the incident, not to hear about some shiny jewellery.

"Ah, okay." The aristocrat swallowed in guilt. "Go ahead Gin."

"Lord Asami," the servant boy bowed formally, "when we were attacked, I knew that they weren't werewolves because when I tried to pull one of them off my master, its skin sagged. In other words, I think it's a man in a costume."

"Of course it's a man in a costume. If it was a werewolf neither of you would be standing here. Now if that's all you have left to inform me, you are dismissed. And with your necklace my men will look into it for you."

"Thank you Lord Asami." The two bowed in thanks before leaving.

Asami leaned back against his chair, these sly cave dwellers were gnawing down his thin line of patience. They had stolen the list of the participants and assaulted his guest. Even worse they were able to mask their scent without mud or fur. What sorcery was this?! He would need to drastically act against their attempt to derail the hunt. In past he had tried to corrupt at least one of these cave dwellers but they rarely left their cave. Only a few went out hunting but these hunters were snappy and difficult to approach, even with all the wealth he could grant them, it had always resulted in something being thrown over his city or castle wall the next day. Asami knew they had a catapult somewhere hidden within that cave. But what intrigued him was how they were able to dismantle the machinery before his men attempted to track them. He disliked setting foot into that claustrophobic environment, but on the other hand he was eager to determine the identity of the blond dweller. His daring personality was somewhat attractive to him. It was time to gather his men and meet with the chieftain. They were going to investigate the cave with force.

…||[]||…

 **Day 1**

Akihito went to visit Vald and Halvir's quarters. The blond tapped on the ceramic pots outside to politely signal his presence.

"Come on in!" Vald invited.

Akihito brushed the red curtain aside as he entered. Inside, various herbs and spices strung down from the racks. Books, rare treasures, swords and collectable items were arranged along the shelf and wall. A round wooden table was situated on the side, opposite to a fireplace. To ensure that the burning smoke would not cloud the room, a small chimney was chiselled out, connected to an unused tunnel above. Halvir stood behind his metal cauldron, stirring the contents with a long ladle before adding fairy wings into the pot. He followed the instructions he had researched for three months. Emerging from the bedroom area Vald adjusted his maroon tunic down.

"Aki. How its going?"

"I'm fine, its time for the meeting."

"We'll be down there in a few minutes. Let me get ready. Havi where did you move my boots?"

"By the table." He pointed while his gaze remained fixed on the manual. "Akihito."

"Hm?" Akihito turned his attention to the sorcerer.

"How many sprays did you use to conceal your scent?"

"Three sprays."

"Good. Just as expected from clinical trials. You two go down ahead while I'll work on this."

"Alright. You ready Vald?" Akihito asked.

"Yep. Let's go."

The two headed down to where everybody gathered at the usual lower ground. The portable catapult had been reassembled, Masato stood by this 'advanced' technology, he leaned his shoulder against the wooden frame as he waited for everyone to attend. The people settled down on the floor with their legs crossed. Akihito and Vald joined but sat closer to the chieftain on the stage and faced the colony. Together they chanted a daily prayer.

"We solemnly pray to the world of eternal peace to never feast on the flesh of the living. But only to those gifted to us by nature, we shall take. Thank you for watching over us, Aurieas, mother of peace."

As the meeting began Lord Asami and thirty loyal soldiers had arrived outside the original entrance, the doorway was sealed with thick boulders, only a tiny gap was left open for communication purposes, after that it would sealed with more thicker boulders the day before the hunt. A messenger under the orders of his leader approached the sealed wall.

"To whomever can hear us! Lord Asami has greeted you with his presence! Respond now and open or we shall force our way in!"

A dwelling watchman was startled upon the unexpected visit. He stood up from his stool to peek through the hole and saw Asami and his black hooded legions waiting for his response. The vampire lord was dressed in a black leather jacket, its length dropped to his ankle and he had his gloved hands dipped in his pockets. The dweller shrieked inwardly, his movements fell frantic.

"Who goesh shthere?" He replied with a fake lisp, hopping to add some form of muddle in their talk, he knew very well who it was, he just needed time to warn his people. Turning away momentarily he patted and whispered instructions to his rat companion. As he plopped the animal on the floor it scurried off to the next watchman who would then relay the message to the chieftain.

"This is under the orders of the great Lord Asami that you will remove this wall at once or we shall use force!"

"Who goesh shthere?! I've sgot sha hearshing froblem?"

The soldier inhaled deeply, frustrated by the lack of compliance. "This is under—"

"Shorry, I sgot sha hearshing froblem! Shay it again!"

The rat scurried towards the second watchman. It squeaked a specific pitch to him. Blue eyes shot wide open at the news. "Asami?!" Immediately the blond haired man dashed full throttle towards the main cavern, blowing his horn.

 _Toot, Toot, Toot!_

Masato paused his speech when he heard the alarm.

"ASAMI! CHIEF, ASAMI IS HERE! HE'S COMING IN!" The watchman hollered to the colony way below.

All eyes screamed open and a wave of apprehension flooded them. Their enemy was at their front door, the catapult was visible and Halvir was in the middle of a concoction. Masato knew that one day this would happen and that's why he had implemented an action plan. "Okay everyone calm down, quickly but don't panic, commence renovation just like we practiced!"

"Yes chieftain!"

The crowd dispersed in a hurried manner to perform their designated role. Akihito's heart sank at the news, Lord Asami knew what he looked like, if he were to be spotted, this would have a detrimental effect on the colony's relationship with the Silverbloods, well they never had a great relationship to begin with.

"Uncle! Halvir is still in the middle of his work!" Vald alerted the chieftain.

"Well, tell him to stop, now!"

Vald nodded quickly. "Let's go!" He tugged Akihito's arm. The blond was unable to escape his distressed thoughts and could only robotically follow his cousin.

"Whad?!" The watchman asked the messenger again.

"By orders of Asa— look here—!"

"Whad?! Me hearing ish bad! Gum again?!"

"BY ORDERS OF—!"

"That's enough!" Lord Asami had spoken. These cave dwellers were being crafty and he knew it. They were getting reeled in by this watchman's excuses, clearly it became evident that he was attempting to buy time for his people so they can conceal the evidence. "Blow it up. We're going to greet them." There was no pity in his tone.

"I suggest you stand back, gatekeeper. This wall is going to explode!" The messenger warned before sniggering.

"Explode?!"

"And he finally hears." Asami let out a cruel smirk. The older vampire waved a command to his men. "Bring in my toy."

"Eeee! What is that?!" The gatekeeper's red hair stood up like a frightened cat. A cannon mounted with wheels was aimed at where he was. Unwilling to watch the weapon unleash its true power the gatekeeper scrambled for dear life.

"Halvir!" Vald and Akihito burst into the room. The sorcerer was seen dumping tomatoes into the bubbling cauldron.

"Yeah yeah, I've heard it!" Halvir grumbled a barrage of curses. To have his work tarnish midway pissed him off.

"What are you doing? We travelled far for those ingredients?!" Vald exclaimed.

"We don't have time. I can't conceal this giant pot." He walked over to Vald and placed a jar of tomato paste and a costume in his arms.

"What do you want me to do with a jar of tomato paste, and this?!" He held up the items in protest.

"We are tomato soup venders. Just act your part and go with it."

"But—"

"No buts, we don't have time."

"Aki? What's wrong?" Vald waved his palm over his cousin's blank face.

"I can't." Akihito muttered.

"Can't what?"

 **BOOM!**

"What was that?!" Vald looked around unsettled.

"They're in!" The gatekeeper fell to his knees when he made it to the main cavern, his breathing was wheezy. The colony went into a state of shock. The enemy was able to blow their way in but they couldn't do much besides play their part.

"I...I need somewhere to hide!" Akihito stammered

"Why?" Vald looked quizzical.

"He saw me obtain that list. Asami. He saw me." He finally blurted the truth.

Halvir paused his cooking to stare disappointingly while Vald was hit with a sudden burden. "Saw you? We're denying our involvement! Why didn't you tell us earlier?!"

Akihito was quiet, he looked away, eyes were dejected as he became filled with guilt. Vald's anger softened at the sight of the pitiful vampire. "Here take my disguise I got an eyepatch somewhere, I'll find something to act my part. Asami doesn't know your smell, just as long as you don't look like yourself you should be fine. So wear this now!" Vald shoved the clothes on him promptly.

Asami and his men marched through the entry tunnel until they were greeted by Masato. The chieftain had his arms crossed over his puffed chest. "How did you get through our barrier?" He eyed the vampire lord irately, his facial muscles were straining as he tried to bite back the tirades.

"You don't need to know. I'm not here to discuss about that. I am here because I am certain that the culprit who had attacked my guests and stole an important list from my office was a member of your colony. If I find any evidence, this is the last time you bats will live in peace."

Masato scoffed at the accusation. "We have nothing to hide especially the list, we are cave dwellers not thieves."

"We shall see about that." With a quick snap of his fingers, the Silverblood legions scattered in search for five things; catapult, sorcery, werewolf suit, necklace and finally the dirty-blond vampire.

Asami completely ignored the chieftain and walked to edge where he looked down to the bottom. The cave dwellers eyed him back meanly before resuming back to their activities. The catapult had been dismantled, the wheels used as table for their board games. The thick wooden lever and frames were placed on the floor and seated as temporary stools. Children skipped with the brown ropes while a woman used the catapult cup as a bucket for her dirty laundry. This painted a very convincing picture of innocence but Asami was not dull-witted, he counted the number of circular tables but his detective thoughts were then interrupted by Masato offering him rabbit blood. This only invoked a menacing back off growl from the vampire lord.

Soldiers barged into each homely cave with no regards to privacy, they searched every crevice, tossed and rummaged through their belongings, finding no signs of sorcery or stolen jewellery thus far. As they passed by, the dwellers were wary of the enemy, one of them could be a potential participant so they set about to make themselves less appealing to the scouting eyes despite how embarrassed it made them feel. They dishevelled their hair and dirtied their clothes and skin with dirt, spat on the floor and swore as the enemy passed by, and when interrogated they responded in a brash and arrogant tone. The Silverbloods grimaced at their filthy appearance and their behaviour added another notch to their dislike. One soldier forced his way into Halvir and Vald's private quarters. Halvir remained by the boiling pot, he paused his stirring to stare expressionlessly at the intruder. Vald was dressed in a rugged tunic, he wore a black eye patch and covered his hair with a straw hat, resembling a poor farmer. Meanwhile Akihito hid in the other room. He had been disguised as a travelling merchant, whose outfit consisted of a stick on beard and a brown ponytail wig. The soldier spotted the cauldron, his inquisitive eyes swayed from the metal pot then to Halvir left and right.

Without warning he ran outside. "Lord Asami! I've found the sorcerer! He's here brewing something!" His voice echoed through the cavern, drawing everybody's attention. Masato's hair stood upwards. Was their cover blown? Asami gave him a displeased look before moving off to investigate.

"We don't have a sorcerer here. He's cooking us morning breakfast!" The chieftain obstructed his path. Asami shot him a black look, one that could spear through him before he dodged around him. Akihito could chew all of his nails off if he could. Lord Asami was coming in.

"Shit!" Kou shook Takato's collar when Asami entered the sorcerer's quarters.

"We have to do something. Psst guys this is what we have do…" Takato whispered to his fellow dwellers. The two were seated around a board game on the lower floor, dice cubes and cards sprawled out all over the catapult wheel.

Asami brushed the curtain aside, once in his golden orbs surveyed the interior. Vald was spreading tomato paste onto a soft bread slice while Halvir sprinkled salt into the soup. Akihito remained hidden, his heart pounded against his ribcage making his breathing erratic.

"Hello." Vald greeted with a cheeky grin.

"Step aside from the cauldron." Asami commanded to the silver haired. Halvir obeyed and stood aside, leaving the ladle in the pot. His movement was stiff, as if he were wearing metal armour around his body.

"You're a human. Such a pity, vampires living with their meal." The vampire lord eyes downcast to examine the red cloudy liquid. Steam was emitted in the air, followed by the aroma of irony ginger, which was odd for a tomato soup. "Are you the sorcerer providing magic for these bats?"

"I'm not a sorcerer. I'm a tomato soup cook. I am developing an alternative food option for vampires, an almost vegetarian option." There was a moment silence in the room, the vampire lord looked at him seriously, this was no joke to him, the human's claim was laughable and it wasn't convincing enough for him to believe it. Halvir demonstrated remarkable equanimity around Asami's daunting presence, anyone in his place would be nervously shaking and sweating.

The vampire lord took the ladle into his hand and swirled it around, bringing up the added ingredients from the bottom, unidentifiable debris along with a cow eyeball resurfaced. "Why is there a eyeball in here? If it were soup?"

"It adds flavour to the soup."

"If this is soup and not some potion your trying to hide, prove it." Asami stepped back, inviting the human to attest his claim. His palm indicated to the cauldron, eyes locked on with the silver haired, almost like they were participating in a staring contest and challenging one another. The atmosphere grew tense, very tense.

"Very well but first I need to add some sugar, it's not ready for tasting yet."

"Drink it." Asami ordered coldly.

"Fine." Halvir capitulated to the tyrant. He hadn't casted a spell or added anything toxic yet but it was the taste that had him worried. The silver haired raised the ladle, pausing for a brief moment as he stared at the soup of horror, bubbling like lakes of hell. Halvir scooped up a sample and brought it close to his lips before giving it a gentle blow to cool it down. Vald wanted to object, but what was he going to say? He could only watch and wince for now. With the vampire lord eyeing him and waiting to prosecute his every move, Halvir took a full gulp. Taking small sips were for cowards and he did the right thing to demonstrate his will to drink. The taste was as he predicted, vile like bitter medicine and it tortured the back of his throat. He tried to keep a still face but failed to suppress an involuntary twitch at the corner of his eyelid.

"It's a bit plain. If it were magic I'd be dead." Halvir dropped the ladle down, not gently, but carelessly as to show his indignant.

Vald jumped in. "Yes we sell this soup, it will taste almost like blood. And you people can stop preying on humans for blood. We'll even give you a discount. Order two barrels for the price of four silver coins." He held the jar of tomato paste in front of the vampire lord who did not appear to be impressed by the offer.

"I don't—" Asami scowled but was again interrupted by the chieftain. His soldier had failed to bar the brute from disrupting his interrogation.

"Ohh that soup does look yummy mhmm mhmm! It feeds the colony. This is what you need Lord Asami. Hearty soup!" Masato rubbed his belly in a circular motion.

"I'm sorry my lord. He got through." The Silverblood apologized formally.

"You can't stop me from going about in my own cave you pathetic little—" Masato angrily prodded the Silverblood on the shoulder.

"ENOUGH!" The room fell silent. Asami was frightfully mad, he was fed up with the web of lies and childish behaviour the cave dwellers were displaying. "I won't be deceived by bats! Tadao, search him for any traces of sorcery practice!" He pointed at Halvir.

"Yes sire!"

The human backed away slowly, denying vehemently. "I don't have—"

"Ahhhhhhhh!" A feminine screech pierced through the cavern hall.

"What was that?!" Asami growled, annoyed by the constant interferences. Everybody went outside to check, except for Halvir, Vald and Akihito. On the lower ground a woman ran around in circles screaming hysterically. "There's a rat in my shoe! Raaaat! Raaaat! Raaaat!" Asami sighed while frowning, again he had fallen for their antics.

"Ah rats, they're critters. Getting into people's shoes, haha its common!" Masato chortled.

"LORD ASAMI!" A voice erupted from the entrance tunnel, along with the echoes of a horse clomping. All heads swayed to the him. Out revealed Kirishima in a long cloak, his face visibly troubled as he galloped towards his leader on his Friesian stallion.

"What is it Kirishima? What ails you to come all the way here?"

"Sire our village up north, it's under heavy attack from werewolves, Fei Long and his army! They have declared war after we purged their villages!"

Asami almost lost his balance, eyes widened to the fullest before narrowing into rage. "How dare he?! Order all of our soldiers to the north now!"

"Yes sir, but a fellow villager who had escaped he says that Fei Long wants to meet with you."

"Fine, lets go!" The older vampire gritted his teeth. He whistled out loud, signalling his legions to abandon their search and to follow after him. The drama unfolded in front of the colony and they were celebrating inwardly as the Silverbloods were leaving. Meanwhile inside, spells books and scientific journals dropped down from under Halvir's robe. He had padded the items underneath his clothing in hopes to hide his work. The silver haired bent down to recollect his belongings.

Akihito emerged from his hiding. "Are they gone?" He whispered to Vald.

"Let me check." Vald went outside to confirm. "Uncle. Are they gone?"

"I think so." Masato looked fairly perplexed himself, he scratched his head as he tried to discern reality from dream.

"Chief!" Kou and Takato ran towards Masato.

"You two, go follow the Silverbloods to see if they are actually leaving our cave."

"Yes chief!" They replied in unison and sprinted off into the distant. The cave dwellers all stood, heads turned to their chief distraught for answers.

The gatekeeper rushed to Masato as Vald, Akihito and Halvir exited the quarters to stand by the chieftain. "Chief!"

"Rei, how did Asami and his men get in?"

"This weird hole metal thing with wheels. It was the size of a man!" He explained while moving his hands to describe its shape.

"They've developed a weapon to penetrate our walls. But that's against the rules, the hunt is limited to ancient weapons such as swords. This is not good!" Masato squeezed his forehead as a the new threat emerged.

"Chief, how are we going to stop them?"

"Yeah chief, what's going to happen to us?" The dwellers below grew restless, they wanted a solution that would assuage their fears. Kou and Takato later returned, they were the fastest athletes but not that good as Akihito, the blond was like a stealthy cheetah.

"They're gone, they were even sprinting. Never seen them this serious before!" Kou informed, panting at the same time.

This was the best news they've received thus far. A light of hope shone through and Masato wasn't going to let this opportunity slid. "Alright men, here's what we're going to do..."

…||[]||…

The chieftain and the dwellers gathered to resume their meeting. This time their focus was on getting rid of the explosive weapon Asami possessed. There was a looming fear of the weapon being used against them, so while the enemy was distracted by the massacre up North, this was their moment to infiltrate and find a way on how to destroy this machinery. Akihito, Kou and Takato had volunteered without hesitation. They left as soon as the meeting finished, the trio barely spoke, their ran with determination and when they arrived back at the castle, they took the same route. They tip-toed behind the castle shrubs, their scent was masked by the potion. The number of Silverbloods guarding the castle had dwindled to merely one guard per sector, evidence that an army had been summoned to aid one of their villages. Akihito and his friends were feeling fortunate.

The three waited for a maid to exit with her laundry before they snuck through the back door. The barracks was situated next to the castle west wing but the easiest route for them to access was the east. The castle was quieter than it should be, Akihito slowly opened a double door and popped his head in. The spacious hall was unlit, only the moonlight shining through the giant glass panels provided some vague details of the interior. An arm chair, padded with royal red cushion and framed by black stone was situated in the centre end of the room supported by a marble platform. This appeared to be the throne room, even though Asami was not king, some did acknowledge him as one. No guards were present here, only eerie silence. They crept inside, glancing around and listening for any movement nearby, a scent of lavender filled this hallway.

"So it takes all of that acting just to draw you bats out off your cave?" Lord Asami emerged from behind his throne, a cast of moonlight revealed the side of his face while the rest of his body remained covered by shadow. The three young vampires froze. This wasn't meant to happen.

"A—sami?! You've tricked us!" Akihito stuttered in shock, his legs trembled visibly.

"Surprised?" The vampire lord smiled, he was revelling at the sight of them panicking. Just as they were about to bolt, Asami's men had placed a rag over their mouths, they tried to resist but the smell of chemical was strong, eventually their vision became distorted and they fell into darkness...

A shift in the bed caused Akihito to shudder and force himself awake, his eyelids fluttered as he adjusted to the dim lighting of the room. He groaned and shook his groggy head. After a few seconds he recalled being captured but as he budged, he found himself chained up, his wrists were shackled apart and onto the headboard. This was not a good sign, Akihito fretted, his eyes searched wildly until they landed on Asami. The vampire lord wasted no time in showing his intentions, he leaned over with his golden eyes sending signals of amorous desires before teasing the flesh that was unclothed with a knuckle.

"What are you doing?! Let me go!" Akihito protested, his limbs flailed uncontrollably in attempts to break free and end this perverted fondling.

Asami brought his face closer to reply. "You are going to be punished. By me…"

Akihito looked horrified at the sadistic smile.


	3. Punishment

Hello my lovely readers. Sorry for the slow update. I'm finally free from university exams. Time for a nice long holiday!

Anyways sorry this is a short chapter. It was meant to be initial 7K words but I decided to separate into two chapters since it makes more sense. The next chapter will be ready in a week. After that chapters will be consistent in length.

Thank you for your support so far :D

Warning: This chapters contains a non-consensual theme. The scenes are toned down to the least explicit as possible due to M rating.

* * *

 **{~0~}**

 **Punishment**

Chains jingled as the ovoid metallic clashed against its adjacent links from Akihito's persistent tugs. Lord Asami was domineering over the top of him, forcing him into a position of complete submission. Tough hands grasped under his chin, squeezing his lips apart. Akihito felt vulnerable and overpowered, his struggling movements grew more frantic. Asami's smirk curved up higher, this time he brought out a silver vial with miniature human skulls sculpted around it.

"This will help you relax."

The vampire lord uncapped the lid before dripping down the bloody contents over his open mouth. Akihito shut his eyes tightly and harnessed all off his energy to fight against the force feed. But the older vampire was stronger, he remained helpless. To ensure that the younger vampire would not gag up the bloody drug, Asami placed his palm over his lower face to asphyxiate him momentarily. Akihito squirmed uncomfortably. The blood doused over his tongue tasted immensely bitter. What was this? Eventually his lungs became deprived of oxygen and he swallowed in response to demand for air. Satisfied by the consumption, Asami released him. Akihito gasped in deeply.

"You bloody monster! You won't get away with this!" Akihito cursed, his eyes narrowed into deeper resentment.

Akihito's outburst of profanity only invigorated Asami's desire to dominate over his purity. Ignoring his tirades, the older vampire waited for the drug to take effect before undressing, removing his finely tailored clothes off one by one. Akihito's eyes lit to the fullest, he was going to be held against his will, and this drug was fatiguing his muscles. Lord Asami was now naked in front of him. The older vampire's built body structure beamed seductively under the pale azure moonlight. Golden eyes ogled over the subdued cave pup in his captive. Akihito had shown visible signs of enervation. Now it was time for the older vampire to commence the act of pre-Bloodmoon Hunt sex, because he felt like it.

It was little gift in return for Akihito's delinquency. Rather than declaring war against the cave bats, Lord Asami had snagged himself something even better to displace his chagrin; the chieftain's son. Yes he knew after he had interrogated the other two accomplices during Akihito's period of unconsciousness. The Takabas even had the same hair color and eyes, but the only difference was the amount of muscle mass present, and also the facial hair. For Masato's denial and pestering ideology on peace, Asami will defile his precious pup.

The vampire lord took out a jar of scented oil from the bedside drawers. Opening the lid, he dipped his fingers in to sample an adequate amount. Asami pushed the blond's lower thigh apart to expose where he'll make love to. Akihito panicked, he tried to shut away the indecent exposure but the older vampire's grasp were like gripping stones, unmovable.

"Please don't," Akihito rasped out weakly in shame.

Oiled fingers circulated around the external, Akihito flinched upon the cool foreign contact. The drug softened his muscle tenseness, allowing Asami to poke an index into him.

"Ah." The blond whimpered at the feeling of something popping into him.

More fingers joined in to probe, loosening him, until more pathetic whimpers escaped his lips. The feeling was odd for the blond, yet for some reason the pressure felt good, especially when Asami moved his hand in an upper rocking motion. Akihito shook his head in denial, he cannot be enjoying this, it was the drug not him. Amused by the blond's arousing fits, Asami knew that the younger vampire was ready. It was time to enter. The fingers slid out, leaving behind a well lubricated canal. Lord Asami was ready to take this to the next level.

Akihito freaked out, the older vampire was kneeled between his forced spread legs. "No, no, no!" Akihito protested. His head shook back and forth.

Slowly Asami guided his erectness into the prepared hole, enveloping it with coolness, since Akihito was a vampire himself. The blond yelped when a stretching pain was felt, but that soon subsided when Asami was fully in. The older vampire waited until his counterpart was accustomed to the large size. But he didn't ask if Akihito was ready, the man was impudent when it comes to 'punishment'. He thrusts slowly but powerfully, jingling the chains and creaking the bed.

"Stop, please, ah!"

The aphrodisiac effects in Akihito's blood drove him mad, it deluded him from reality. This was unconsented, yet his racing heart and unwanted pleasure made him feel as if this were natural, that their bodies were compatible. Every thrust rubbed against his sensitive spot, sending him into serene bliss. The pace increased and the bed rocked along, smashing and thumping loudly against the stone wall. Dust and plastered debris chipped off from the headboard, cracking as Asami leaned his hands on it.

Akihito curled his feet, tip toeing it on the wrinkled sheets with his knees bent up high and his neck arched back into the supporting pillow. He let out faint moans, despite how hard he tried to contain himself. The older vampire motioned his head downwards to smell Akihito's shoulders, the area in which the potion did not fully cover. With the blond's perfumed clothes off, Asami could now savor his scent.

"I know that smell." He smothered his face along Akihito's pale skin. "You were there, in that cave with those tomato cave dwellers. You sly bat." Asami lifted himself back up to view over the blond while thrusting back into a slower rhythm. Unnerving light blue eyes met intimidating golden eyes. The vampire lord had uncovered the boy's involvement with the cave dwellers.

"P—please, don't hurt them." Akihito begged. He was afraid of the calamities of war.

Lord Asami leaned his body forward until their lips could almost touch. "And what happens if I do?"

Those words angered Akihito, his eyes shot fiercely back towards the older vampire's with animosity. "I'll never forgive you."

Asami jousted in deeper at the daring response against a superior, eliciting a feeble cry from the younger vampire. "You are an audacious little one, aren't you…Takaba?"

"What?" Akihito gaped, his eyes froze. "Ho—how do you know my name?"

"I know how to get people to talk."

"You didn't hurt- ah! Them did you?!"

"No."

Instead of using torture to interrogate the accomplices, Lord Asami had chosen blackmail. He threatened to harm Akihito if his friends would not confess everything. Even though he wouldn't necessary do it, his aim was to pressure them into spitting out the apparent truth. Asami's enemies shed blood when provoked or retaliating, cave dwellers who worship Aurieas do not. Hence all of those petty crimes committed against the Silverbloods were unsurprisingly linked to the bats. The older vampire was an astute analyzer and intelligent man, he would always calculate his strategy one step ahead of his opponent.

Furthermore he knew that the Bloodmoon Hunt would escalate civil unrest and tension between the cave dwellers. Asami could handle any disturbance they created, but when it involved sorcery, this triggered him to act. If his enemy were to get hold of this special brew that would be catastrophic. Imagine if werewolves and humans could mask their scent and invade their territory. Their entire security was at jeopardy. Forget the other offences, Asami was going to confiscate the practice of magic or any alchemy activity from now on. But for all the other pranks that left him ridiculed, discovering Akihito's real identity expelled the need to punish the cave dwellers. If the blond were to be assigned as his spouse, this would be like a major wallop in the face for the chieftain and his people. Asami wouldn't actually mind making Akihito his, the boy was alluring, particularly in an impuissant state like this.

"Don't lie to me! Everybody knows you're a murderer!" Akihito retorted with all of his remaining strength.

 _Poof_

Lord Asami's right hand palm smacked on a pillow besides Akihito's head before grasping onto a blond patch of hair to subjugate his remarks. Asami's face instantly fell stern. The blond swallowed in fear, he had provoked the older vampire, prompting him to roughly ram into Akihito's body.

"Gahh!" The younger vampire flung his head back.

The bed shook wildly as Asami began to thrust relentlessly with lightning speed, causing Akihito to moan out uncontrollably. The younger vampire angled his fingers to clutch onto the chains, holding it on for his dear life while his body was taken on for a turbulent ride. Thunderous knocks were heard, almost as if a dozen workers were hammering the wall with a giant mallet repetitively.

Immense tingling sensations intensified to a point where Akihito's body convulsed involuntary. His legs moved on its own accord to wrap it around Asami's upper waist, brushing it up and down along the older vampire's skin as he twitched. The latching move also prevented him from having his head knocking back into the headboard. Akihito's pants grew irregular, often mixing it with a combination of whimpering and indistinct sounds conveying deep pleasure. The foreign feeling swelling within him was overwhelming. Like bioelectrical currents pulsating through him, contractions came wave after wave until a certain threshold was reached. Finally with a long pitiful whine, Akihito climaxed, releasing his load.

"Hm. That was quick." Asami paused to admire his ability to satisfy the younger vampire.

"Shut up." The blond whispered weakly. He moved his head to rest it sideways on the pillow, disconnecting any eye contact in order to hide his humiliation. His virginity had been taken from him and by Lord Asami Ryuichi of all people!

Akihito's exhausted limbs sagged, he felt light headed from the constant moving. His body was shaken similar to that of a ragdoll. If he were human, his pelvic bone would have been broken, that was how strong the vampire lord was. Nonetheless the older vampire was not done yet. It was still his turn to gratify himself. With his hands, Asami snapped the chains, clinking as he fragmentized the metal apart from the bed and Akihito's wrist before tossing it aside. Light blue eyes widened in astonishment over his display of strength. What breed of blood sucker was he? Akihito wondered, he knew that there were other sub-species of vampire, but what kind was Asami? Even his eyes were unique, pure golden like the glowing full moon.

Akihito was turned prone onto his stomach while Asami maneuvered on top to immobilize him before reentering. The older vampire resumed back to indulging himself in Akihito. Caressing arms cuddled around the younger vampire's upper body, bringing skin contact into tighter embrace. Akihito held a pillow under his face to muffle his heavy breathing and any sounds coming from his mouth. White fluffs of duck feathers were caught in his disheveled hair due to a ruptured pillow case.

After three minutes of intense love making, Lord Asami had finally unleashed his seed into his submissive partner. With one last thrust to finish off, the draping canopy above the bed collapsed, crushing the couple below it. The bed was violently jolted to a point where the fine oak beams had fractured and the headboard splintered into a state of unrepairable damage.

Guess Akihito will be unable to walk properly for a while…

* * *

A.N/ FYI

A group of a bat is known as a colony whereas the offspring of a bat is known as a pup.

This is steady paced story and I'll explain everything as the chapter progresses and where appropriate :).


	4. Mergence

Edited version

* * *

 **{~0~}**

 **The Mergence**

 **Day 3**

The mines were infested with cave dwellers, children and adult alike worked rigorously for the expansion of their barricade, no one was spared from labour, if they were fit to walk, they were fit to work. This particular mine was situated beneath the main cavern, making it convenient for them to access the materials they needed, they then piled these rocks on the lower ground. Up in the chieftain's meeting quarters, hunters and scouts congregated around a wooden table, a map of the world laid on top, along with a stack of coin purses.

"Okay this is what we have to purchase the ingredients." Masato tapped the brown bags with his finger. "We should have the potion by the eighth night, if we can reduce our shopping to two days maximum."

"Can Kou and I go, please Chief?" Takato pleaded.

"No. I cannot risk sending everybody. I need you two here. Akihito, Vald and Eri will go to Vldörf." The chieftain worriedly turned his attention to his son and nephew at the far corner of the room. Akihito had his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against a wooden beam. He was distant and quiet, wanting space to calm himself. The young vampire wore long clothes to cover his skin that was decorated with bruises. However no one knew exactly what type of punishment Akihito had received, he was ashamed and was careful not to tell, thus he distorted his story upon arriving home.

Before the three dwellers were returned back to their colony, Asami and his men greeted them once again, this time there was no mercy in his actions. He barged in to seize the catapult and potion before arresting the sorcerer and sentencing him behind bars for a decade. The aristocrat's necklace was never found, which irritated Asami a little. No reference to his participation in the hunt was mentioned that day. He'd intend to keep it a secret. But he did reveal his discovery of Akihito's relation to the chieftain. Masato wasn't happy, nor was he surprised, he had always kept his son in the shadows to protect him and if any harm were to be brought onto his son because of their social status, Masato would be devastated.

However not all hope was lost. The catapult could be rebuilt and the potion recreated. Halvir had a habit for transcribing his old research notes into a fresh journal, the original journal somehow ended up in the children's playroom, stacked in between the other picture booklets. Perhaps a couple of unruly brats had snuck into their private quarters and stole his work as a prank, meaning that the journal Asami had taken was the newer edition. Henceforth Masato had organised a mission for three vampires to travel to Vldörf, a grand city where the rarest ingredients could be found. What made this city appealing was because it had a neutral zone where all three major races could come, meet and trade. For the sakes of greed they were able to unite temporarily. However as good as it sounds, Vldörf did have a notorious side where criminals thrive and racial prejudice blight. There was no government, no monarch to enforce a strict law over the entire city, rather it had different factions operating in their own districts, depending on the type of faction, that district was either poor with high crime rates, or rich with proper security and safe streets.

"Aki, are you sure you want to go to Vldörf? I'm still concerned sin—"

"I'm fine father." Akihito interrupted sharply. "Besides I'm not a hunter like the others. I'll search for the ingredients within two days."

"Can't we just rescue Havi?!" Vald exasperated. He couldn't bare the absence of his lover any longer and was fuming.

"Vald! You know that will only make things worse with that tyrant. Now we've got the research journal we just need to make it again. We have a set plan to stick to if we're going to survive through this, Halvir can come later. Now you're the only who has spent more time with him, and you know what these rare ingredients look like. So that's why you need to go. Now you two go pack and go inform Eri of the quest I have assigned you three to."

"This is bullshit!" Akihito's cousin yanked his hair in frustration before stomping off. Masato could only shake his head despondently. Failure was not an option but it seems to be the only path they were cascading into. If only he could hide his people somewhere else, somewhere safer, but this was their home, they were sick of running, mistreated. It was time to take a firm stand, no matter the hardship.

"See you in a few days everybody." Akihito lightly spoke as he left the room.

Time was ticking, it was foolish to idle. The sooner they obtain the ingredients, the greater the chances of their colony surviving the hunt was increased. Akihito did not have time to ponder sorrowfully over the negative turnout of events. Instead he used the suffering of his people to stimulate himself with the willpower to carry on. Another factor to get him moving was the thrilling excitement to explore beyond the woods. Never before had he seen the outside world besides the Silverblood's main territory. This was going to be a new experience for him, a chance to finally have a taste of real freedom. Usually Masato would be opposed to sending his son far out but Akihito was ranked as their top infiltrator. If the rare ingredients were sold out he could always resort to stealing.

One hour later.

"Akihito." Masato placed his hand on his son's shoulder. "Stay safe."

"I'll be fine." Akihito reassured before climbing onto the saddle of his brown horse.

"Are you sure you got everything?" His father asked with a look of concern.

"I got everything I need." The younger vampire indicated to the packed luggage hoisted on the back of the horse.

"Remember to protect your skin during the day."

"I will father." His son smiled warmly. This reassured the chieftain and his faith returned.

"Take care. And you too Vald."

Vald inclined his head in regards to farewell his uncle.

"Don't worry Masato-sama. I'll watch over them boys like an eagle." Erina strode pass the chieftain on her horse.

"Please do watch over them Eri."

"That won't be a problem." She winked confidently. Chiba Erina aka Eri, was known as a guardian or protector of the colony. The woman was an elder vampire, almost the same age as the chieftain. She was a cave warrior and a nurse, having long and wavy sun blond hair, blue eyes and a tall-fit physique. Nicknamed the 'blond goddess' by many perverted men, her height only resulted in many faces being smothered by her mouth-watering bosoms. Eri had a short temper and was often belligerent to those who dared to vulgarly comment on her body. But aside from this, people loved her. The woman had a motherly atmosphere, allowing her to easily bond with others. Eri's favourite clothing consisted of wolf fur sewn together in a metal-studded dress cuirass, symbolizing her bravery in hunting. However since they were heading towards a city where werewolf shape shifters do roam, it was best to stick to bear fur.

"Everybody ready?" Vald asked his companions.

"Ready than ever," Akihito nodded with determination.

"Lead the way Valdy-kun," Eri grinned cheekily. Vald could only sigh. This was why he didn't want her to come, he would be treated as a child, even in front of strangers. But that was Eri, they couldn't change her personality, it was the essence of her character.

"Bye everyone." The three waved to their people.

"Take care you three." Masato and the cave dwellers wished them good luck as they descended on their journey.

"Oi Takaba! Don't forget to bring me some souvenirs!" Akihito's friends hollered.

"I will, bye!" Flicking the reins and kicking the horses by the flank they rode off onto the unmarked roads, racing against the world's clocking rotation. The time due to arrival would be dawn, if they didn't stop to rest, however that would impractical since eight hours of travelling would be tiring for both the rider and animal. Facing the daylight was inevitable for them and they would need to let their horses graze occasionally to replenish their stamina.

The first rays of light begun to peep out of its slumber. "Cover yourselves little ones! The sun is about to come up!" Eri warned them.

"Got it!" The boys replied.

The vampires were covered up nicely with a hood and scarf, leaving only their wandering eyes visible. Eventually the sun broke the horizon and radiances of orange streaked out over the land to stretch back the forest silhouettes. Akihito always admired this breath-taking scene and would often sneak out from his cave to watch this phenomenon, daydreaming on the wonders that exist beyond this land. He didn't want to spend the next couple of centuries hidden beneath the surface of the Earth. Sometimes he envied his cousin's flexibility to travel, if only he was allowed to fly free without any responsibilities but a direct connection to his father meant that he was the next chieftain in line, if Masato dies or retires. Vald took from his mother's side, therefore he was not a Takaba.

Overtime the fireball in the sky rose, emitting daylight to reveal the forest's beauty. Green vegetation had receded when autumn had settled in. Winter chills from the north begun to travel down, triggering a dramatic change in the foliage pigmentation. Hues of red, yellow and brown leaves from deciduous trees blazed the whole landscape with vibrant colour. Even in this season, the sun's potential only proved a hindrance to their travels. They had survived the malignant creatures of the night, now they had to conquer mother nature's scorching orb, a vampire's worst nightmare. They wouldn't necessary disintegrate into ashes in an instant when exposed, rather the radiation would cook their skins, similar to that of a human sunburn but indeed more fatal. After they emerged from the pine forest, they stopped on a meadow hill. From here they could see a spectacular city constructed near the ebbing shores of the sea. Smoke trailed off from the chimneys of clustered buildings while ships from all over the globe docked at the busy port, unloading their goods.

"Wow is this the city?" Akihito awed.

"Yeah we're here, and it still looks the same," Vald confirmed.

"So how do people get along? You know, vampires eat humans, so how are they able to maintain peace?"

"Trust me, its chaotic, that's why each major race has its own section of the city. They only get along in the main market square for trade. If you wander in the wrong place, be prepared for trouble."

"So are we going to the vampire district?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Didn't you hear what we discussed in meeting?"

"I think so…" Akihito's mind had been occupied on the thoughts of revenge, blocking aside chunks of information said that day.

"Aki, you're face was blank for almost the entire meeting. I'm w—"

"Oh my, a storm is coming!" Eri interrupted them as she pointed to the murky clouds forming above the agitated seas.

"Really?! Good, that will make our shopping during the day much easier. Let's go!" Vald galloped his horse down the steep hill, prompting the others to follow his lead. Thunder roared in the distant, blowing breaths of cold air along with the lingering smell of salt water.

"So which gate are we going exactly?" Akihito raised his voice so the others could hear him.

"The human gate. Don't forget the Silverbloods have invested some of the property and districts here. Last thing we want is for Asami to know that we're searching for those ingredients. We need to lay low," Vald answered back.

"So is Asami here?" Akihito looked unsettled, that bastard better not be here he cursed internally.

"He's back in his castle, unless he has business to attend to, we don't know for sure."

Well that wasn't reassuring for Akihito.

With the storm stirring off the coast, they whipped the reins, encouraging the horses to gallop full throttle towards a gate. The city was enclosed by stone walls that stood defiantly upright. Approaching the side of a wooden gate, Vald rode closer to the checkpoint.

"Halt there black cloaked riders!" The gatekeeper warned, only his brown eyes were visible through a rectangular opening. "There's a fee you must pay before you enter. It is to prove that you have come to trade in this city. Unless you have the appropriate documents that prove that you live here, then I'll let you pass."

"We are vampires from the East. We're just looking forward to trade in this city," Vald responded to the man.

"East you say? Are you Silverblood vampires? You don't bear the silver crest. If you are Silverbloods, use the other gate!" The man snarled.

"Eastern colony sir." Vald pulled down his scarf to reveal his face partially.

"Vald?! My boy haven't seen you in while. Phew, I though it was a couple of trouble making vampires. Followers of Aurieas are welcomed any day. Come on in. Oi! Let them in men!"

"Thank you Yama."

"No worries. Say, where's that sorcerer friend of yours?"

"Holiday." Vald lied outright.

"Oohhh. Anyways good luck with your visit!" The gates parted from the middle, allowing the three to enter.

"Psst, how do you know that guy?" Akihito prodded his cousin's shoulder.

"Contacts. I have a few here. Just follow me and keep quiet."

The horses trotted at a leisurely pace as they moved through the streets. The humans would often turn their heads to stare at the three vampires active in broad daylight, their cloaked attire drew mocking attention. Ignoring them, Akihito's eyes wandered around his new environment. The buildings here were built in either plain brick or wood, housing local inns, apartments, or artisan shops. The cobblestone pavements were ruined from years of neglect and was polluted with brown mud and excrement, sanitation here was poor and its filth had attracted vermin from every corner. For vampires this was a green moment, their stomachs churned in revolt since the air reeked of feculent matter. For nobles a separate gate was erected for private access, away from this poverty-stricken district. But no matter how repulsive it was to their liking, the three continued onwards holding their breaths as much as they could.

Beggars scattered along the curb of the road or in front of shops, asking and moaning for money. "Spare a change for a poor soul?" A bewhiskered old man begged on his knees, his hands were trembling as he held out his palm. While Eri and Vald ignored the man, Akihito impeded his horse by pulling the reins back, yanking the animal's head towards him. The boy had never encountered human derelicts before, his colony had none, neither did the main Silverblood city. The man's hands were covered in grime, nails were ingrained with dirt and his clothes were tattered. Sadness was seen in his green eyes, filled with a history of unfortunate stories. Akihito could not turn a blind eye on an unprivileged being, it was selfish and he didn't have the heart to say no. Reaching into his front pocket he pulled out his own stash of coin purse. He untied the string strangling the bag, his awareness was clouded by his current task, oblivious to the beggar's coveting stares. Midway during his unravelling, the man sprung from his spot and greedily snatched the coin purse from his hand before bolting off with his money.

"Hey! Give it back! Vald, Eri!" Akihito's panicking voice alerted his companions of the trouble. He attempted to pursue the man on his horse but the thief had escaped through a narrow opening in between the building. "Damn!" Akihito cannot squeeze a horse through there.

"Aki!"

"Aki-kun! What's wrong?!" His companions rushed to his aid.

"That beggar robbed me!"

"Did you offer him money?" Eri crossed her arms, eyebrows crooked on one side, deducing his reaction.

"Maybe…" Akihito's eyes averted in guilt.

"Welcome to Vldörf. You're the first Takaba to ever get robbed," Vald teased.

"I didn't know that would happen!"

Eri laughed at his mistake, it was silly but she was warmed by his act of kindness. "Well you've got a lot to learn Aki-kun. Your only twenty-three, you still have a long way to go."

"Fine. Forget about it." Akihito shrugged it off, money was disposable...then he saw something that irked him. "Wait a minute, there's a guard over there! Don't they know how to do their job?! I've just got robbed in front of him." Akihito indicated melodramatically to an armoured guard slouching against a wall whilst sitting on a wooden stool. His head was tilted to the side, eyes were sealed shut and he was snoring loudly as drool hung from his mouth.

His companions glanced briefly to the lazy human with disinterest. Vald shook his head. "Like I said, welcome to Vldörf. Let's go before we get wet."

"Don't worry Aki-kun. I'm sure the money he took will feed him or a few friends. They do it for survival, don't feel down. You did a good thing, that's all that matters." The older woman gently rubbed his back in a circular motion.

"Thanks Eri-sensei. Still, that was my saving."

"Oh my poor little boy."

The companions followed Vald into a quiet alleyway, far from the public and noise. Indistinct chatter faded as distance augmented seclusion. They were entering the slums and the pavements no longer bedded the floor, instead it was replaced by damp soil and a layer of garbage, Akihito dare not look. It was cramped and squalid here, the houses were built on top of one another without a care for adequate space and the wooden frames were coated with black mould. Clothes hung from the ropes above their heads and stray dogs roamed freely, riddled with fleas. Approaching a property linked within a terrace, Vald dismounted to politely knock on a wooden door. After several knocks they waited patiently. Droplets of rain lightly showered, tapping faintly onto their cloaks. A minute had passed and the door finally swung open. Out came a man, his blond hair had been tied back into a pony tail.

"Marus!"

"Vald?! Hey, hey! Welcome back to Vldörf." The man greeted with open arms. "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes. And who are they?"

"This is my younger cousin Takaba Akihito, and this is Chiba Erina." The brown haired gestured to each individual.

"Are they cave dwellers like you too?"

Vald nodded. "Lower your scarfs and show him."

The two followed as instructed to reveal their slightly curved fangs, a characteristic feature for their race and frequently used to differentiate between other breeds of vampire. Those who feed on animal blood have evolved canines that curve inwardly at the tip, designed to penetrate and adhere into tough hides. Vampires that reside on land generally have fangs that are shorter and less wider since the human flesh is softer and their veins are more accessible. Lord Asami's fangs were retractable which are only found within the elite kind. To be classified as an elite, one must exhibit extraordinary powers or physical traits not found in a normal vampire. Eight hundred years ago, a council was formed by ten overlords to outlay the laws and principles within the vampire world. They were known as the Alvichor, consisting of only elite breed vampires. Cave dwellers were definitely out of the category for recruitment and speed does not account for it. Lord Asami was not a member of this faction. It was unknown to why he was excluded from joining but instead of loathing, the vampire lord had chosen to mount his own rule in the east, far away from their influence.

Asami did not judge a vampire based on their talent but rather their willingness to serve him. This attracted those who sought to join a prestigious faction in spite of their limited abilities. Rumours claim that the Alvichor's were intimidated by the Silverblood's flourishing popularity. Who wouldn't be? The chances of being overthrown were high, they were officially a competitor than an ally, however a great distance between the two had prevented a likeliness for conflict. Asami's main problem now lies with territorial disputes between the human prince; Mikhail, and werewolf prince; Fei Long.

"Phew." Marus swiped his forehead in relief. "Thank goodness. Last week a vampire got out of control and tried to make a snack out of me in the market. But anyways, what brings you three here?"

"We've come to trade for a few days," Vald replied.

"And you want to stay over?"

"Yes. If you could please let us. A lot of things have happened, I'll explain to you once inside."

"Sure, anything to help a friend. Come on in. There's a rent stable nearby once you unpack. Leaving your horses here might not be a great idea."

"Thank you Marus."

Marus invited them in but Eri decided to wait outside and guard the horses. Akihito gaped at the human's living standard, it wasn't as he expected based on the condition outside, the interior was rich in texture and colour, treasures were framed on fancy shelves, ranging from voodoo-like figurines to rune artefacts, and the floors were clean, a pleasant sight at last. Marus escorted the two upstairs where they would be staying.

"Okay I only have two beds but I can bring out a futon for you. My other spare room is filled with junk so I hope you don't mind." Marus opened the door, inside it situated two single beds, one on each side of the room with a small window located in the middle that was curtained by thick brown wool.

"This will do, thank you," Vald said. It was dark enough for them, that's all that mattered.

"No worries. Make yourselves at home. I haven't had guests in a long time, gets pretty lonely. So settle in. I'll take your horses to the stable once you've all unpacked."

While Marus went to obtain a futon for his guest, Akihito headed back downstairs. "We've got a room Eri-sensei."

She clapped her hands together. "Great lets unpack."

Gathering their belongings, they settled down the luggage against the side of the wall before disrobing out of their travel clothes and into something snug. "You two can have the bed. I'm fine on the floor."

"Are you sure Vald?" Akihito asked considerately.

"Go ahead Aki. A bed is a bed. Get some rest. We'll shop for the ingredients in the late afternoon. Most close till midnight or later, otherwise they lose making money from vampires."

"Thanks Vald. Hey Eri-sensei, did you move my cloak? Eri?" The two turned around to find the elder vampire face down on her bed, sprawled out and snoring, fairly loudly too.

"So much for protector." Vald rolled his eyes. "Well I'm getting some sleep. You get some too. Don't worry too much we're safe here. Marus is a good friend, he was a companion in one of my travels."

"Yeah I suppose we're safe." Akihito trusted Vald and he let himself relax just for now. He hopped onto his bed, letting out a big yawn and a stretch after a long trip before lying down and drifting off to sleep...

…||[]||…

Dark clouds, angry and threatening hovered above the city, the howling wind blew ruthlessly, hurling up loose debris and propelling the torrential rain against the window, rattling the glass panel. A flash of lightning penetrated through the gaps of the curtain, sending a quick light of pale lapis to colour the plain wall. Akihito's eyelid twitched, not because of the storm but to the eldritch whispers loitering within the room, uninvited to his knowledge. Another bolt of lightning struck, rumbling in the distance, and revealing a short glimpse of humanly shadows converging along the wall. The temperature in the room begun to drop dramatically and his body didn't like it, he hugged the blanket tighter to his chest. The murmuring in the dark became noticeable for Akihito but he didn't take it seriously and laid there tiredly, blaming his lucid state for these imaginary voices playing in his head. His eyes remained closed until he heard young children giggling, followed by the sounds of scampering footsteps. Now this was becoming strange, Vald didn't mention to him that his friend had children living within the residence. Curious, he sat up, rubbing his droopy eyes before turning his head towards the doorway.

"Harrrr! Who are you people?!" Akihito shrieked in horror. Eyes widened to the fullest as colour drained from his face to the whitest shade, blanched at the sight of the unexpected visitors huddling around his bed. He jerked clumsily from under the cotton sheet, tangling and dragging the fabric along unintentionally as he attempted to flee to the corner of his bed. Surrounding him were children of all ages, their waxy skins were leeched of colour, paled and grey. Lips were cyanotic blue and veins black. They even had no eyeballs, just an empty socket, filled with a black void of space. Their hair was shrivelled, dry and lacking contrast, and clothes were ragged as if they had been worn for years. The children shuffled closer with anticipation, smiling and tittering with sinister intent.

"What do you kids want?!" He looked defensive at this stage. Obviously these kids were dead and he wanted an answer to why they were haunting him.

No reply came from them, only advancement.

"Stay away! Vald, Eri! Wake up! Help!" Even his companions were not responding to his distress calls, was he really dreaming? Decomposing arms began to rise, confining him closer into the corner and restricting his movement.

"Vald! Eri! Please wake up!" Akihito cried desperately.

Again no response came.

Akihito needed to escape, he stood up so he could leap over their short statures but froze when he saw how jam packed the room was with children. He couldn't even see his companions sleeping. Were they even here? Cold sweat damped his forehead, he wanted to faint on the spot, that's how scared he was. Akihito was stuck there, the only option left was the window. The children grew impatient as they eyed their defenceless prey, jittery they became. The blond took a step, creating a shallow depression in the mattress. That was when all hell broke loose. The horde of children swarmed forward with their arms extended out to drag Akihito off his balance, multiple hands latched onto his ankles and lower extremities.

"Haaa! What the hell?! Get off me!" He tried to shake and kick them off.

Effective teamwork enabled the group to successfully pull their victim off from the furniture and onto the empty floor, the spot where Vald should have slept. Now at a pregnable position they leapt onto him forcefully, pinning down his flailing limbs with their feet, hands and knees with such aggression. Their icy touches sent a wave of shivers up his spine. Akihito had to fight for his life, he was being buried alive by the piling mass.

"Let me go! Piss off!" He screamingly protested, thrashing his body side to side.

The children fought over for their prized vessels. Competition incited violent clashes and a chaotic mess of nudges, jabs and shoves. Akihito saw this as an opportunity to break free but the ghosts were not willing to let him go. One brunette girl dressed in a bloody gown grabbed onto Akihito's shirt before clawing into his stomach, leaving red lines that was oozing with blood on his skin. "Arghhhhh!" Akihito screeched out in pain. Tears ran down his cheeks as the ghost mutilated him. He was scratched until his shirt was ripped and his inner flesh exposed, raw and red.

With an open wound in sight, the children transmogrified into wispy shadows. The little girl, now a collection of dark energy, streamed into his bleeding cut. "Please help me…" Akihito rasped out weakly. His entire body shuddered and convulsed as the entity seeped into him. One by one these spirits entered without permission and it felt as if his body was being squashed by a heavy weight and he couldn't breathe. After the third count he lost track of time and his vision blurred before his world fell black.

He prayed for Aurieas to save him from this nightmare.

She answered.

Akihito's conscious suspended off into another dimension, waning away from his attackers and down into the abyss in slow motion. Eventually Akihito's body stopped sinking, there he floated hopelessly, however something cheeky decided to play with him.

"Weeeeeeeee!" A baby voice squealed excitedly towards him before it bonked itself onto his head.

The impact forced him to snap his eyes open. "What the?" He found himself staring at a cerulean orb, its brightness illuminated the surrounding darkness with a blue aura. "Where am I now? What are you?" Akihito looked around before prodding the orb, it recoiled back with the cutest giggle he had ever heard and for some reason its warm presence soothed his heart, extinguishing his fear of the dead.

"Waittt!" More squeaky voices wailed in the distance. "Don't leeaave us yet!"

Akihito saw three orbs behind the first, their colour was murky and black and they were vibrating intensely. "What in the world is happening?" He muttered, everything that was happening in front of him was bizarre and he was trying to decipher the meaning behind all it. Gradually the constant shakes caused the dull shade of the orbs to luminescent to a blue colour like the first, as if it were being purified by a spiritual cleanser. Now beautifully lit, the three glided to join its sibling. Like fireflies they danced around Akihito, spiralling around him before flying closer to one another and merging as one, forming a larger ball of energy. Once coalesced the united orb settled below his navel before fusing painlessly into him. A strong current of serenity washed over his soul, lulling him into deep relaxation and rest.

 _Splash!_

A bowl of cold water had been emptied onto Akihito's face, rudely awakening him from his dream.

"Wake up Aki. Nap time is over," Vald said before walking out of the room with a cloak hanging over his shoulder.

Akihito yawned as he stretched out his cramped muscles. His hand fell to where he was attacked. After feeling no pain or traces of blood he sighed in relief. What a dream!

He was back to reality.

…||[]||…

Meanwhile on the other side of the city.

"So this creature's wing is the key ingredient for the potion." Asami held up the dried ingredient to survey its quality. "Interesting." The vampire lord was seated in another office situated in Vldörf. Kirishima entered the room with a list in his hand. "What news do you bring me Kirishima?"

"Lord Asami we have purchased all the ingredients that can only be obtained from special traders here. No one can order them besides us, and furthermore we've got a few problems."

"List them." Asami placed the wing back into its container. He leaned forward, ready to receive the negative report.

Kirishima read the writing on the paper. "First up, the human protestors near our district have caused some damage to our shops, the repairs are underway. The second is about the party your hosting tonight for your aristocrats in relations to economic improvement. The problem is um…they're bringing their daughters…" His eyes lifted to watch his master's reaction. Asami's eyebrow twitched. The vampire lord slumped back against his office chair, pinching his nasal bridge and groaning as he recalled a series of flashbacks.

 _"Oh Lord Asami, I like you to meet my lovely daughter Suki!"_

 _"Oh Lord Asami I like you to meet Misaki!"_

 _"Oh Lord Asami!"_

 _"Lord Asami!"_

 _"Lord Asami, can I please have your attention!"_

Driven by avarice and a thirst for power, many woman, rarely men, attempted to court the vampire lord, they've sent proposal after proposal, nagging him for attention, but despite his polite rejections and fake smiles, he would soon reach a breaking point. If he wanted to marry, he would choose a bride himself. It took commitment to maintain a healthy relationship and he was not ready, his task was not yet complete. Unless he could find a method to silence the never-ending proposals. That was when the Bloodmoon Hunt gave him thoughts, a feasible option to replace an actual marriage where he had full control. No love needed, no commitment, no dramas. Everyone knew that spouses obtained from the ancient hunt were excluded from the benefits of marital rights since they were classified as 'kidnapped', thus no one would object on how Asami treated him or her. The hunt was near and he didn't want to wait another fifty years, but who was he going to chose? It had to be someone of his taste.

During the annual ball at his castle, Asami was lucky to be saved by a flock of sheep from the most daunting marriage proposal of his life. An Alvichor overlord had travelled for diplomatic reasons, inviting himself and his entourage to the party. Lord Asami was happy to offer him accommodation and show off his prosperous city. However…the older vampire had brought his daughters along and they were fawning all over him prior to the ball. To shun them away would be a sign of disrespect especially in front of one of the oldest vampires alive. That was why he stood on the second floor, to avoid conversing with the overlord's and aristocrats daughters. It was obvious they wanted to setup a marital link between the vampire lord for their own personal gain. When the sheep scattered in, Asami was left red-faced. Gossip associated with the Alvichor would spread at a pandemic scale. Initially the vampire lord wanted to chastise the blond intruder with cruel measures but after meeting him, that all changed.

"Sire? Shall I continue on?" Kirishima interrupted his thoughts.

"Yes go on, I'm listening."

"Right sire, several hours ago our human spy had reported that three vampires had been spotted in the human district, they were not wearing our silver crest."

This piqued Asami's interest. "Any evidence to suggest their background?"

"Yes." Kirishima pulled out a coin purse and handed it to the vampire lord. "It has an initial sewn on the side."

Reaching out to observe the empty bag, Asami lifted up the flappy edges to read. Eri had stitched on those letters to prevent the bags from getting mixed up. Which was not a great idea for privacy reasons. A smile curved on Asami's lips. His little cave pup was here. However his amused smile quickly faded when he realized they could be here for the ingredients. That means they still have their hands on the formula. They must of hid a copy somewhere. Those sly bats!

"Kirishima. Send a spy in disguise to Nim's Apothecary immediately. If they are searching for the ingredients, they would go there. And do report to me the identity of those cave dwellers."

"Yes sire, and if they turn up, shall we arrest them?"

"No. Lets see how far they will go."


	5. First Dance

This chapter is probably one of the most awkward chapters I'll place Akihito in. Today I give you a light comedy chapter to enlighten the last month of 2015 before things get intense. I hope you guys enjoy it, well I know Akihito doesn't, but Asami might…(who knows what's going inside his head. So mysterious, this is probably the hardest character to make him not ooc. But I guess AU will affect some part of his behavior, so I get to bend his personality a little.)

FYI- 6 chapters left till the hunt…nah I'm just playing with you, its just right around the corner.

Enjoy.

* * *

 **{~0~}**

 **First Dance**

 **Day 4**

The storm abated, taking with it its last dying breath of cold air. A quarter of the sun had been swallowed up by the oceanic horizon. Orange glows radiating from the orb reflected mesmerizingly on the calm waters. Down in Vldörf scattered twigs and debris littered the streets while muddy puddles tainted the ground. Despite the aftermath left behind, life within the city returned. Traders from all over the world emerged from their temporary hideouts to resume back to their hawking and advertisement of valuable wares. Because of this diversity of goods, rare artefacts and even magical creatures were sold here. Buyers ranging from peasants to the wealthiest lords came bustling in to avoid the congested traffic.

The three vampires had spent thirty minutes in the main market district, searching for the ingredients and purchasing the respective one according to the list. Val sauntered with a paper in his hand, eyes scanned horizontally at the stalls while Eri stored the items in her satchel. Akihito was made to hold a metal cage containing live rabbits, their soon to be lunch. The companions approached a fancy building constructed by clay bricks in the corner of the markets. Its windows were decorated in mosaic patterns, a wooden sign hung from a metal bar illustrating a mortar and pestle and the gothic writing: Nim's Apothecary. Val opened the door, dinging the yellow bell as they entered.

"Welcome!" An old man greeted with a welcoming smile and bow. "Call me Nim, I'm the apothecary master. I treat ailments and also sell ingredients for medicinal or alchemic purposes. How may I help you three today?" Nim's blue eyes were naturally round, lips were hidden under his brown moustache and he wore a red robe outlined by golden strips.

"We're just here to purchase a few ingredients," Val replied. The vampire lowered his scarf, an etiquette gesture to demonstrate his willingness to trade, his companions did the same. Who wouldn't be intimidated if their customer was dressed as a cloaked thief.

"Okay, this way. What ingredients interests you?" The human strolled behind the maroon counter before tapping his fingers on the surface in a relaxed manner.

The three moved towards the Nim, eyes caught the glimpse of a patient sitting in a corner. The young man's right eye was bandaged with several layers of gauze infused with pulped herbs.

Val laid the list flat on the counter for Nim to read. "I would like these ingredients please."

"Hmmm…" The old man gave a long hum as he scratched his stubby chin, now just how was he going to explain this to them? "I've got toads foot in stock, they came in from the butcher this morning. But I don't have ogres teeth and fairy wings in stock I'm sorry."

"Well do you know when they'll be back in stock?" Val asked.

"Don't other apothecaries sell them as well?" Akihito queried.

"No Aki, these ingredients are rare, especially fairy wings. This is the only shop that sells it." Akihito could hear the frustration lingering in Val's voice.

Nim leaned his arm on the counter, the other on his hip. "That's right my boy, these ingredients are obtained from my son. He's a hunter, that's how he helps keep my business open. Ogres live in swamps, it requires a skilled hunter to collect them, but it is not as rare as those fairy wings."

"Why are they rare?" Akihito asked with a clueless look.

"Well young man, ogres are common. But, have you seen any fairies around, or in your life?"

"No," he shook his head innocently.

"Exactly, it takes a great hunter or sorcerer to find at least one in their lifetime. But if you know where to find them, it's a jackpot. A top finder can catch a dozen at a time if lucky, and that's my son. That's why I'm proud of his team."

"So how do they harvest these wings?" The blond curiously asked.

"They rip them off," Nim answered bluntly.

"What?! That's cruel! Do they die?" Akihito was horrified by the cruel treatment of these mystical beings.

"Sometimes. But their wings are the key ingredient for magical potions because they have some magical properties to it."

Akihito frowned unhappily. "That still doesn't justify to why they should—." Val motioned his arm to lightly nudge Akihito aside, hushing him from inadvertently extending the conversation. "Hey—!"

"When is the next stock?"

"There will be none I'm afraid. My next stock was pre-ordered by a wealthy lord."

"Look here Nim, we really need those ingredients. If you could please sell us those ingredients, even if its reserved. We'll pay double."

"I—I wish I could but the next stock available is unknown. My customer who demanded for them purchased until I even have none for myself!"

"Damn!" Val slammed his fist, thudding the counter and rattling a nearby weight balancer.

"That's bullshit!" Akihito yelled. Oh how he wanted to assail that inconsiderate buyer.

"And damn right selfish!" Eri added to the heated complaints.

Nim gave a weak tremulous smile, his voice stammered as he apologized. "I—I'm sorry, I wish I could help but I can't. My son is still searching for them, I don't know how long it might take, probably months."

"Well can you at least tell us who bought these ingredients, so that we may bargain with this lord?!" Akihito demanded with a scrunched up fist.

"I can't I—I'm sorry. I must comply with customer privacy. I'm sorry."

"Please we just need to know who," Eri begged. She tried pulling a puppy's face, but that didn't work.

"I'm sorry lady. But please, you must understand I cannot reveal client information."

Despite the man's reluctance, Val wasn't going to depart from this store empty handed. Digging into his cloak pockets he pulled out a stolen necklace, the one Asami had failed to find. The vampire dangled the jewel by its silver chain with his index finger. "So you like money eh?" He hypnotized the man with the diamond pendant, swinging the precious crystal sideways to allure the old man's interest.

"I—I do…" Nim nodded robotically, his eyes remained glued to the gemstone sparkling with brilliance.

"How about you tell us your customer's name, and this diamond here…" Val tempted the bribe closer to the desirous human, "…will be all yours. Lots and lots of money."

Captivated by its scintillation, Nim was ensnared by Val's offer. "Okay. But I'll say this quietly. Come closer." He beckoned them forward with his hand to whisper. "The man that bought all these ingredients was… Lord Asami."

"Lord Asami!" The three shouted in unison with their jaws dropped, eyes widened to the fullest without blinking. Another major setback had weaved itself into their plans.

"Shhhh," Nim shushed them with a hard wave. "Quiet. Confidential."

"Is Asami in Vldörf?" Akihito whispered with a distraught look, unbearably trying to keep his stirring emotions intact.

"Yes he is. He came in with his men. Offered me big sums of gold, pure gold," Nim rubbed his two fingers together to emphasize the amount.

"Damn, he must be creating the potion, or he's preventing us from making it," Val gritted. He had never felt so pissed!

"You three heard nothing from me. Now my reward please." Amidst their troubles, Nim forked out his palm with the eagerness of a child drawn to candy.

Should Val even surrender this fine jewel to this greedy old human? Nope…unless he could steal it back. Right now Nim could temporarily keep it, Val would be back. "Fine," he dropped the necklace into the old man's hand. "Lets go, there's nothing here for us."

Disappointed and seething, the cave dwellers upraised their scarfs before turning to leave the shop, stalking eyes monitored their every move. They had travelled for more than eight hours only to find out that Lord Asami had hogged all the ingredients for himself and leaving none for others. When outside, they slowly traipsed back towards Marus's place. With no fairy wings in stock, they were starved of opportunity. A fire burned within them, but the flames were not deadly, they were weak, fueled by hatred, yet doused at the same time with defeat. Was hope even on their side? Because right now, they ran dry, unless this was their intended fate.

"What are we going to do? That's just it. It's over for us. That Asami bastard took it all. How am I suppose to steal it from him?" Akihito was left crestfallen by the outcome, his shoulders sagged as he walked with languishing energy, uncaring to the accidental bumping against the arm of Val's or a random passerby. The four white rabbits squeaked with high-pitch shrills whenever the cramped cage was rocked abruptly.

Val placed his limp hand gently on the blond's shoulder to lighten his demolished spirit. "You did it once Akihito, I have faith you can do it again. If he has it, we need to formulate another plan…"

"What happens if we get caught?" Akihito did not want to cling onto false hope.

"We can't that's just it. Lets just go back and clear our minds for a bit."

"I've got to quit being an Aurieas follower, never felt so much hate in my life," Eri mumbled under her stressed voice. It was pretty contradictory to worship peace when your mind was filled with homicidal tendencies.

"Hehe do you think Lord Asami will like this?" A sweet feminine voice similar to the sound of an angel lullabying halted the companions to a standstill. Their movements froze into living statues after hearing the vampire lord's name mentioned in public. The oncoming crowd obscured the source, once dispersed they had a partial view of a vampire entourage belonging to a Silverblood aristocrat.

"Shit, Silverblood aristocrats, hide." Val quickly fisted Eri's cloak and Akihito's collar to drag them off the busy street.

The pull was sudden for the blond and being shorter resulted in a suffocating choke. "Arrr!" Akihito's throat retched. His light-blue eyes hilariously bulged out as if he were an inland goldfish.

Hiding behind a stack of wooden crates, they peeked their eyes through the thin gaps to spy. From here they could see an exquisite brown carriage, its wheels were huge and brown florals were crafted all over its body. An exuberant young brunette and her richly dressed father were seen moving towards the carriage while their butler and vigilant bodyguards held an umbrella above their heads to shadow out the late afternoon sunlight. They appear to have recently departed from a rare antique shop.

"I'm sure he will darling," the father attempted to shepherd his daughter into the carriage.

"I can't wait for the party. Lord Asami will pick me as his first dance partner!" The spoiled female twirled her puffy blue skirt with a jovial smile. Cute, in front of her father's supervision, but, cringing for the cave dwellers to watch. "Ah, so dreamy!" This time she smothered the red present into her loving chest, daydreaming about her future husband.

"Come on sweety let's go. You've gotten up quite early just to buy this gift."

"Yep daddy, and I hope he will like it!" She excitedly hopped inside.

Securing the perimeter with their alerted vision, the guards gave the clear signal and the carriage clomped off once the two boarded safely.

"Party hm? This is great, we can sneak in," Val sprung to life.

"How are we suppose to sneak in? We don't have anything to mask our smell. Besides he'll recognize me in a blink of an eye."

"Not if you're a girl…"

"What?! Perfume isn't going to conceal Val!"

"Not if your covered in aromatic makeup and perfumed clothes. We just need to move pass, we're not interacting. That's enough to elude from them before our perfumes wear off. We just need to stay clear of Asami, that's it."

"I see where this is going. I like it," Eri agreed with Val's cross-dressing suggestion.

Akihito remained skeptical on the idea. "If its that easy, why didn't we do that in the first place, back in the Silverblood's territory?"

"Because Havi had it all figured out, plus that was our first infiltration inside a heavily guarded castle. I know your good at sneaking, but you can't compare this to your success in breaking into typical Silverblood households. Sildörf is the center building for the vampire district, it is used for venues such as this, and not to mention that's where Lord Asami stays, and his office. Because of the possibility for assassination to very important people and himself, there are no windows, no chimneys, just two doors, and very tight security. We can't use the distraction like before, he will know its us. You saw how serious he was when it came to magic. We'll get caught."

Now that sounded fairly hectic.

Akihito pointed to himself. "I'm going in alone?"

"No I'm going with you."

He now pointed to the elder vampire. "What about Eri-sensei?"

"She'll be there too."

"Okay so we're all dressing as girls?" The blond's voice appeared low and timid. Pessimism crept up to him, whispering negatively at the back of his head, _'Your going to caught by Asami, in a dress too! You're a fool! This is going to scar you for life!'_

"Yes," Val nodded affirmatively. "This is our only option."

"Ahem," Akihito cleared his throat. "Do we have a proper plan once we're dressed?"

"Not yet but we will soon. Our priority now is to get our costumes and everything ready as quickly as possible. Then we wait for the festivities to start, usually after 1AM. But we'll head out there early to scout, so no time to waste."

"Lucky Masato-sama brought me along, now I get to pretty up my little Aki-kun and Val-kun. You know what, ever since the day you were born I always wanted to cross-dress you Aki-kun. But your father insisted that I shouldn't feminize you, but now I get to doll you up, my cute little cave dweller."

Akihito sighed heavily over her pampering fits. He had to prepare himself mentally for this. It was time to leap out of his comfort zone.

…||[]||…

Night had fallen.

While half of the city sunk into a quiescent period, one immortal race had awaken from their sunless sanctuary. Street lights were lit throughout the district to grant proper visibility when roaming. Compared to the poor human sector, the vampire district was clean. Having sensitive noses prompted the implementation of a sanitary environment. Only horses or any forms of steed were permitted on marked roads so that its excrement could be easily disposed off. The concrete pavements were also kept in good condition by constantly sweeping to remove dirt and leaves to unclog gutters allowing rainwater to drain via sewers into the sea.

The three cave dwellers took cover behind an inn, hidden in between the narrow alleyways. Right around the corner a monumental building stood four stories high. Its exterior was constructed from pure white concrete in a rectangular shape, designed with Corinthian columns equally spaced out around it. This was Sildörf, the hallmark of this district. Its double doors were left invitingly open for the guests. All they had to do was act, this time as the opposite gender, well mainly for the boys. They had no choice, this was their last chance to obtain the fairy wings. Forced to wear a dress, the three had decided on a Victorian dress, its style was simple and gorgeous for formal venues. The sleeves and skirt were long, slim gloves and a high collar suited the overall elegant look, thereby providing excellent skin coverage for them. Each cave dweller had chosen their own color, but the patterns and embroidered details were lacking to avoid attracting sexual attention. Though a few ribbons had been sewn on the seams around the waist, after that it was just plain modest.

Eri had recommended a cream colored dress for Akihito since it complemented his light-blue eyes, along with a sun-blond wig. His fake hair was braided towards the back with a few locks curling down to frame his cheeks and forehead. The poor boy was turned into a version of her, a blond beauty, or Eri's daughter in the eyes of strangers. Indeed he was sulky about it, even worse he had to plaster on aromatic foundation, all of them did, but Akihito had to look different from his original appearance, thus comes the power of makeup. Val was clear from any other forms of superficial coloring, though he was clothed in a brown wig and pink dress instead. Eri-sensei had decided to go for purple. No stilettos were worn all thanks to length of the dress to hide their slipper shoes. Their skin and clothes were saturated with a subtle lavender perfume, hopefully this was sufficient enough to temporarily conceal their smell.

"I look ridiculous…" Akihito frowned miserably. His rosy lips pouted as he tried to untighten the lace corseting underneath his outfit. In this era, one must constrict their innards in order to achieve a sizable circumference appealing to the norms of female society. Akihito called this the hourglass figure, because his darn waist was strangled beyond measure. "Its so tight I can't breathe," he huffed shallowly. His breathing rhythm had been physically altered and full lung expansion was compromised. The more he thought about it, the more he struggled to maintain his composure. To worsen his suffering, his gums were sore and throbbing with pain. The three vampires had their fangs filed down to reconstruct the overall shape to appear more common. Extremely uncomfortable but it was necessary, plus it would grow back in a couple of days.

Itching him, Akihito stuck his gloved fingers in to stroke over his shortened fangs. "Val, I shwear you didn't even out my 'eeth 'roperly. One 'eels shorter than the other."

"Aki-kun, get your fingers out of your mouth, you'll dirty your glove," Eri chided as she pulled his hand out.

"Aki, stop worrying. Your not engaging in a conversation."

"Easy for you to say. You said you've done this before. I've been dwelling in that cave my whole life. My experience of 23 years can't compare to you of 46, or Eri-sensei who has 127 years of life experience. If this plan backfires I'm going to kick your ass up North to your Hal friends. Hey are you even listening to me? Val?"

The brown haired kept his observant head out, ignorant to Akihito's jabbering. "The number of guests are dwindling, there's barely anyone going in. We don't want to be the last ones. We're moving in now."

"Now?" Eri and Akihito asked simultaneously.

Val swiveled back to face the two. "Yes, come on. Remember we're in character now. And remember the rules of improvising, leave the talking to me. Don't forget to soften your voice Aki, okay."

"Okay. Now lets do this! For the colony," the blond stuck his hand out to the middle. Eri and Val joined their hands in, stacking on top of one another.

"For the colony!" They cried in unison before raising their hands up high to strengthen their courage. Off and going, they appropriately lifted their skirts to prevent it from being trampled on. This was it, they were entering the building, two ways in, two ways out. A male Silverblood stood with an invitation booklet containing a list of all the guests. He held an ink pen in his hand, inattentive to the three while he occupied himself with his roll-marking.

"Greetings. Names please?" His head remained inclined as he scribbled on the paper.

Val adjusted his posture to flaunt his glamourous appeal in bids to beguile the man. "Um, well—."

The Silverblood's head rose to examine the owner of the voice. "Oh, the Gildergvisk Sisters! You've made it. My apologies, ladies. Call me Kirishima. I am Lord Asami's secretary and personal guard. You've sent a fly mail that your carriage was broken on the way and that you three would be unable to make it on time. Well I guess you've made it."

Number one rule of improvising is to always accept the information, no denial.

"Yes, we made it," Val nodded quickly with a beaming smile.

"I must say the people here have never met you three in person, but we've heard a lot about your generous investment for the economical improvement of this district. You are our humbled guests, welcome." Kirishima bowed formally with one arm extended to the side. "So which one of you ladies is Lady Sai? Is it you?" His gaze straightened to Akihito. The blond nodded shyly without speaking. "That means your Lady Mura, the half sister, am I not right?" Kirishima asked Val since his hair was a different shade of color.

"Yes, that's me. Mura Gilde—. I'm Mura," the brown haired asserted. He didn't know how to pronounce that wretched last name.

"And you must be Lady Tora," Kirishima said to Eri.

"That's me," she grinned widely.

Kirishima closed his booklet to secure it under his folded arm. "Well then Lady Sai, Lady Mura and Lady Tora, since you're here now, please follow me. The dinner is about to start, the other guests are waiting. You're the last three to arrive." He spun his heel to escort them to the main hall.

"Dinner? I thought this was supposed to be a party? And we're the last ones." Akihito vexed in a whispering level.

"Shh, we don't know for sure," Val pacified.

Bored into a dilemma, they must make a quick decision on whether to proceed in or withdraw out immediately. However what happens if they could use their fake identities to their advantage? It was worth a try. There was always a backup plan, they had devised this for hours, in fact they had four escape plans. Feeling rather optimistic about their success to rob Lord Asami's stash of rare ingredients, the cave dwellers ambled with a fair distance behind the man until they reached the main hall.

Inside, the interior was adorned with gilded gold details and the marble floors polished to a pristine shine. Two crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling and dinner tables were arranged in a rigid U. At the other side of the tables, a spacious floor was prepared for dancing while a platform was setout for the orchestra to play. Guests were seen grouped or disbanded throughout the hall, there were fewer people than expected. This was not looking good for them. Their confidence were beginning to dissolve, their faces met with a look of consternation from the lack of available distractions a ball would generally provide.

"Ladies and gentlemen the sisters have arrived, please take your seats. Lord Asami will be here in any minute," Kirishima announced.

The gentle humming of violins ceased and the affluent guests meandered to mingle quickly with their friends before moving to their assigned spot, some were already seated.

"Follow me ladies to your seats. Luckily we kept your spots reserved in case you were able to make it in time."

Ohhh crap! The three were invited to a Silverblood dinner party, and Lord Asami was going to be joining them too! It was too late to turn back now. They are in this too deep. Fear was seeping in and their guts twisted with foreseeing danger. Things were looking grim as the companions were lead closer to the end side of the tables, the row where Lord Asami and the high ranking investors would sit. The vampire lord's spot was obvious, his chair was an ebony throne, situated in the middle of the U, allowing him to clearly view all of his guests.

 _'Damn this is not looking too good. He's leading us closer to the end. Please stop. Ah shit!'_

Dread fell onto Akihito and his companions, they were indeed next to Lord Asami, and when they mean next, **they mean it**. Three seats were equally placed from Asami's left and right. The disguised cave dwellers were allocated to the vampire lord's left.

"Special guests sit close to Lord Asami," Kirishima indicated.

Akihito hysterically died inside, his eyes crossed into X's.

"Your arrange seats have your names on it." The vampire pointed to the cards on the white sheeted table. "As you can see here, Lady Tora you sit here. Lady Mura you sit in the middle. And finally Lady Sai, you have the honor of sitting next to Lord Asami."

Akihito died inside again, this time his body putrefied into skeletal remains.

"I'm si—sitting here?" The blond stuttered weakly. He didn't want to adhere to this horrid seating plan, especially next to Asami whom might recognize him and his body scent if the perfume exuded away.

"Yes my lady. Lord Asami has never been acquainted to you three and its customary that he greets you with his respects."

Never acquainted? Should they go with the flow and wait until the dance starts before they scuttle off? Hoping that the vampire lord may never uncover their identities? They can't run off now, it would foil their mission. An escape plan would only be utilized if they were discovered. Right now the best thing to do was to play along. They cannot fail. While Akihito faltered behind his chair, Eri and Val had already sat down, worried looks traced towards the indecisive younger vampire.

"Are you okay Lady Sai?" The Silverblood asked.

"Sit," Val politely gestured to the blond.

Akihito fumbled nervously with his fingers, a burst of haste urged him to roughly pull his stone chair with both arms. A sharp screech was produced, striking deeply into the thin eardrums of the guests. Curious onlookers paused to stare at Lady Sai, rumored to be one of Asami's top investors. However her demeanor appeared bizarre to their liking. It almost seemed as if she disliked basking in the ambience of a dinner hosted by the great Lord Asami.

Kirishima was left speechless on how Lady Sai presented herself. Putting that aside, it was time to start. "Ladies and gentlemen, the dinner will start in any minute!"

As the Silverblood vampire left, Akihito whispered near Val's shoulder. "Va—Mura, we need to leave now."

"Bees and squirrels when salami toddles in," Val replied flatly in cave dweller slang. He seemed to have acquired a sangfroid trait from his lover.

"But I can't drink hu—eee…" The blond winced in pain.

Val had stomped on Akihito's foot to mollify his panic attacks. "Your fine Sai."

Glaring sharply at his older cousin, he gritted his teeth as he scolded quietly. "I'm sending your ass back up North."

Val raised his foot midway, ready to stamp but a boisterous voice had stopped him.

"Ladies and gentlemen…Lord Asami presents himself!"

Akihito died inside thrice, this time his bones disintegrated into a pile of ash.

All of the guests arose to formally bow to the superior vampire entering the hall from the side. "Lord Asami," the guests chanted. The cave dwellers mimicked their actions in order to blend in. Akihito's eyes widened in growing apprehensive fear at the sight of the well-groomed vampire lord. Asami had his signature black hair slicked back with a few short strands dangling freely to the front of his forehead. The man wore a ravishing suit perfect for this evening, his black cotton vest was embellished with fine golden embroidery while his coat had been dyed jet black. Words couldn't describe how handsome he looked, even a woman would faint from a nosebleed.

"As you were," Asami instructed his guests to resume back to their seats. He noticed the three woman. "Ah, the Gildergvisk sisters. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm glad to see you have arrived safely." The vampire lord begun his short introductions, starting with Lady Tora (Eri), then to Lady Mura (Val) and finally Lady Sai (Akihito).

The blond swore he could feel the air of uneasiness crawling up his vertebrae. Asami had a strong demeanor, one that appeared both intimidating yet demanding respect. This was one of his great qualities that distinct him from other rulers.

"Pleasure to meet you Lady Sai," Lord Asami greeted with courteous manners.

Akihito's heart thumped in a elevated pace. He rebuked himself mentally to suppress his jittery nerves. Breathing in deeply he bobbed forward slightly. "Pleasure to meet you too Lord Asami." His voice came out lower than usual, eyes averted away from direct contact. Asami saw this, his side lip curved up in amusement after witnessing Akihito's reclusiveness. Awkward silence filled the empty conversation between the four, waiting for someone to break it, or at least kill the tense atmosphere brewing in the air.

"You may sit down now."

"Oh okay…" The three obediently nodded.

Lord Asami severed the unsociable gather, his guests are waiting and their stomachs were craving for the delectable taste of human blood fermented with grapes; bloody wine. Once everyone was comfortably seated Asami ordered his servants to begin serving. "Bring in the feast!"

As the silver goblets were being handed out to all of the guests, Akihito could not palliate his anxiety, Asami's close proximity only exacerbated his problems. His clammy hands scrunched onto the fabrics of his knees, pinching and wrinkling the creases of the skirt. He kept most of his gaze to his companions, the table, his skirt or to the pianist playing a relaxing melody and finally to the goblets being placed in front of him and Lord Asami. Akihito swallowed in horror at the sight of the dark red liquid. To take one gulp would be a violation to his belief. But under circumstances like this, he was exempted from sinning.

The vampire lord rose with his goblet of blood in his hand to deliver his speech. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm happy that you were able to join me today. I like to thank you all for helping me build towards our dream in expanding this district. And I especially like to thank my investors Ridrick, Sato, Vizur and the Gildergvisk sisters for greatly improving the world we have envisioned…" As Lord Asami continued to babble on about economic improvements, Akihito's mind skipped blank till the end. "…because now we have out purchased the humans for a dock in Vldörf. And because of this, all of our profits will increase by twenty percent!"

"Bravo Lord Asami!" The guests cheered and clapped to adulate their leader.

"We're going to be richer," one of the aristocrats could be heard rejoicing.

"Now to the future." The vampire lord held his goblet out. All of the guests arose with their goblets in their grasping hand, lagging behind them were the cave dwellers.

"To the future." They upraised their goblets in the air before taking a celebratory drink. Akihito and his companions merely sipped just to fit in. The blond's face soured, the metallic licorice taste repulsed him. Blood and fermented grapes do not mix for him, but the Silverbloods seem to enjoy it.

After a quick swig of wine, they settled back down into their seats to chatter on merrily. They took their time in savoring their beverage, though some were imbibing until their contents were depleted. Waiters came around with a silver pitcher to refill when needed. Akihito did not dare touch his goblet, any more of this wine and he would puke and redecorate the linen with his stomach juices. Lord Asami lounged back with his drink, sipping intermittently as he watched Lady Sai with the corner of his eyes.

"You don't like this wine my Lady? It's light alcohol."

Akihito jolted with a faint yelp, the vampire lord had startled him.

"Uh, its alright I guess," Akihito spoke softly. He hated acting like this, it made him look meek.

"Curious to have a taste of mine? It's stronger if that's how you like it?" Asami offered his goblet out.

"No thanks," Akihito shook his hand to decline. There was no way he would share a drink with him, especially after his lips and saliva had contaminated the rim.

"You seem shy of my presence. Am I that intimidating?"

"No Asami—. Uh I mean Lord Asami. Sorry." _Whoops_! Akihito had disgraced himself by improperly addressing the man without any honorifics. He never did in the first place, he didn't deserve his respect, they had too many differences.

The vampire lord swirled the wine in front of his chin before taking another gulp. "Nervous are we?" He smirked behind the silver goblet.

There was only one vampire who dared to flout his title, and that sly bat was Takaba Akihito.

"Um, no," the blond lied.

"Lord Asami, may I borrow some of your time?" A neighboring investor requested. The man had a shave beard and medium brown hair that curved along his face.

"Go on."

 _Phew_! Akihito could catch his breath. His heart had pounded with rapid intensity against his rib cage. Any longer and he would punch Asami in the cheek and skedaddle, but that was all in his head. As if he could assault him, that would lead to another ' _punishment_ '.

"Mura, what now?" Akihito turned to Val for his advice when Lord Asami was distracted.

"I thinks its best to wait. They'll be dancing soon."

"Mura is right. Everyone will dance and that's when we dig the honey jar," Eri joined.

"You want some of mine?" The blond slid the full goblet to his cousin. Maybe Val could finish it off for him since he had a stronger tolerance for distasteful meals.

"No." Val rejected instantly. Even he couldn't stand this atrocious wine.

"You seem to be able to handle it well, please." Akihito pleaded once more.

"Just drink it Ak— Mu—I mean Sai."

"Aww."

"Lady Sai, where did you say your descent was from again?" Lord Asami continued on where he left off.

"Descent? Uh, well…" He had to make something up right now. "…you see I have three sisters. My descent was unique, uh its rich—."

"Lord Asami," the brown haired investor asked again.

"Yes?" The vampire lord shifted to listen.

Thank the heavens! Another wonderful interference to blockade him from Asami.

"Let the bees fly now?" Akihito prodded Val.

"No."

"Grrrrr."

 _Five minutes later…_

"Are my choices too bland for your liking Lady Sai?"

 _'Ah shit, not again. Can you stop talking to me!'_

"I'm on a diet," he replied bluntly.

"I see."

"Lord Asami, Ridrick has another important question."

"Go on." Third request now, Akihito was surprised on how calm the vampire lord remained. But thank the heavens and Aurieas once again!

 _Five minutes later again…_

"Lady Sai, in return for your contribution and personal request by letter, I have accepted."

"Ah?" What personal request did this Sai send and what did he accept? Damn! If only he knew. Can that man beside Asami please ask another question?

"Shall we head to the floor now?" Lord Asami fixed his inner jacket as he prepared his dignified mien.

"Pardon?"

"Yes my Lady, you had requested a dance with me."

"Dance?! What? I can't da—." He swiftly turned to Val, to Eri, then to floor and back to the vampire lord who was now standing up. No one taught him the basics on how to waltz. Cave dwellers don't party like the Silverbloods, they revel around a campfire beating their drums, blowing a flute and shaking their maracas.

"I did? Can I cancel it? My foot feels sore after my carriage broke."

"I'll be extra gentle." He held his hand out as a kind gentlemen would.

"Can my sisters go inst—wait!"

Ignoring the excuses being hurled at him, Asami took hold of Akihito's wrist to pull him off his seat. The boy recoiled with a tug but the older vampire's grip only tightened harder before leaning forward. "To reject my offer in front of all these people would be an insult to my honor, I was looking forward to your proposal my lady." Akihito was given no choice, his words were peremptory and cold.

"Wait, Asami. My foot hurts." His foot did hurt, thanks to Val. He swayed his head to see how his companions were coping with this unpredicted occurrence. To his surprise, the two were giggling with blank faces as if they were under the influence of narcotics. This was not normal, something was not right, Akihito could sense it.

As they sauntered to the dancefloor hand to hand, they were stopped on the way by the girl he had seen in the markets. The narcisstic female had preened herself to perfection, leaving no strand untamed or skin blemished. Her red dress was frilly and she gave a smile of confidence, yet underneath her mask lies a fragile self-esteem and lack of empathy for others.

"Lord Asami I got you a gift!"

"Thank you. Give it to my secretary, he'll place it in my office."

"Okay. Is Lady Sai your first dance partner?" The brunette's glowing smile hide her bitter wrath of jealousy.

"No I'm not. You can—ow!" Asami had squeezed Akihito's hand to silence him. Guess he had no choice but to obey. Once this dance was over he would be free. Well that's what he thought.

"Yes she is. Now if you excuse me, we have a dance. You are welcome to join the dancefloor with your partner."

"Yes Lord Asami." She downcast her head in dejection.

Meanwhile back at the tables.

"Hehehe look at my arm Tora. I feel, funny you know," Eri chortled at the sight of her hand, her vision became distorted and voices in the distance deepened.

"Tira I thought I was Sai," Val queried with a confused look.

"What happens if I'm you?"

"Huuuhh?!" The brown haired gaped in shock with his body jerking back.

…||[]||…

"My Lady." Lord Asami gently pecked the back of Akihito's hand.

The couple stood under the aureate lights emitting from the docile flames of a hundred candles. Pellets of crystal glass, transparent and clearer than the limpid waters crowned underneath the circular hooks of the chandelier.

A lustrous night just for the two of them to rule the dancefloor, face to face as the adoring guests watched on. A slow classical music was played in background to set the mood.

This was it.

Their first dance.

"Let me guide you." The older vampire slid his right arm under Akihito's shoulder blade, the other ran down along his arm to clasp around his palm before bringing it up. The boy kept his gaze elsewhere as he supported his free arm on Asami's shoulder and elbow. He remembered the correct stance, but for the routine Akihito was incompetent. Completely inexperienced and unfit to even be classified as an amateur. Sad, however it was the truth. He can't dance! His sanity was hanging on a edge, trepidation inundated his conscience and being extremely near each other wasn't helping either, he was vulnerable to being discovered. Silence and compliance was his best weapon at this moment.

Asami could feel his partner's muscles tense, in fact Akihito was overly tense that he might just as well dance with a wooden mannequin. He could hear the younger vampire's breathing becoming erratic and the thumping of his vital organ. They took their first steps in moving back and forth. The vampire lord took the lead, he had the power to maneuver and dictate their direction. But if only Akihito could master his steps right. His footwork was mess, a crying shame to those who watched. Rather then stepping smoothly with his partner, the blond would shuffle or teeter, sometimes stomp, gaining puzzled looks from the crowd encircling them. No matter where Asami guided him, the two were out of synch, disorganized with the serene flow. This wasn't working, Akihito was too stiff and he also kept his head down to disconnect any facial communication. The vampire lord could read the stressed aura, his partner was disturbed by the third-party stares, Asami had to change the milieu. With a quick click of his fingers the music quickened and the guests partnered up to join in on the dance. The lonely floors were now teeming with life and color. They were free to express themselves amongst the waltzing couples.

"It seems like this is your first time dancing my Lady. Let me teach you how it is done." The arm behind Akihito's back slithered down to his hipbone before tucking him in closer to a hug without warning.

"Hey!" The blond protested. ' _That's too damn low and close, perverted bastard!_ '

Asami gave a complacent smile, paying no heed to the boy's glare of disapproval. Akihito's anterior front was propped against the older vampire's body.

"Now lets begin again. I'll will help you relax."

' _Fuck_!'

Their arms outstretched midair and hands clasped together. Asami could smell the synthetic hair, the lavender perfume, the powdery foundation and…Akihito's sweet scent. _How lovely,_ he grinned. Now to commence back to properly dancing. They begun to move collectedly and striding in diagonals, this was a beginners exercise for Akihito before they would join in the spinning madness of expert mobility and blooming skirts. The blond could feel Asami's broad chest inhaling and exhaling and the air expelling to tickle his neck whenever he was arched back. This brought back a memory of the night when he was dominated by vigorous vitality. The hands that touched him, held him. He relived that night. Akihito clawed the back of Asami's collar vehemently, his blood simmered in a turmoil of resentment and the dying need for gratification. The way the older vampire enveloped him, clutched him and embraced him to press the areas where he thought would never erotically arouse him, it sent him yearning for more. No longer did Akihito feel tense, he was soothed until his guard was lowered.

Every move they took emanated a desire to bond. As they spun, dipped and arched together beautifully as one, this ignited a spark of passion, their eyes magnetized naturally. Seductive golden eyes met light-blue eyes, linked by an invisible line. This wasn't a waltz, this was a dance of sensuality and pleasure. One that yielded an impulsion of ecstasy and undulating love. Their tilted faces were unbelievably close, soft lips could almost bridge, tempting their hearts to take an irresistible nip. In the swelling heat of the moment, Akihito was suddenly dipped back sideways as Asami lunged forward to plant a fierce kiss, leaving him breathless and in the state of surprised shock.

"NOOOO!" Val objected loudly as he pointed with a menacing scowl. "GET YOUR PERVERTED LIPS AWAY FROM HIM, YA BLOODY TRICKSTER!" His voice echoed through the halls, alerting all attention to him and Eri by the table. Behind them was a group of Silverbloods ready to conduct an arrest.

"Let the bees fly!" Eri ruthlessly threw her stone chair at the guards with a goofy grin.

Akihito was still wrapped in Asami's arms, their lips parted since the outburst. Damn! What the hell is happening?! Were they drunk?!

Whatever it was, their escape plan was now initiated.

* * *

Thank you all for your wonderful reviews and reoccurring ones too. Thank you! Happy New Year soon!

Hehe, I saw my chance in putting Akihito in a dress.


	6. Passing Days

Sorry for the delay and sloppy work. I kind off rushed this. For some reason I've seen a grammar transition of commas to dashes nowadays, hence I thought I would give it a try.

* * *

 **{~0~}**

 **Passing Days**

"Look out!" The Silverblood guards shouted as they dispersed from the path of a flying stone chair. This staggered their advancing formation, allowing Eri and Val to whip out a thigh belt from under their skirts. Attached to this were grey balls individually spaced out. It was time to release the bees. Pinching out a bee bomber, they aimed at their faces, but their throws were lousy and inaccurate from being partially drugged – hence it met the hard floor instead. Clouds of grey exploded into view to surprise all those present in the hall. While smoke perfused, the two cave dwellers pulled out a hidden scarf from under their high collars to cover their breathing orifices. They used the fog to hide their agile movements and the bombardment of more bees onto the dancefloor to rescue Akihito from Asami's prisoning arms.

Panic and hysteria was successfully induced. A tumult of shouts and choking coughs broke out as the gas inhaled irritated the lungs of those unprotected. "Ar, Ar, Ar! We've got to get out of here!" An unknown male vociferated to his partner. "We're under attack!" Soon the entire hall became polluted by a disorder of noise, smoke and a disarray of overturned tables and spilled wine. As the crowd scattered, a few accidently crashed into the vampire lord – distracting him off focus and affecting his coordination, giving Akihito time to duck down and slip from his loose grasp. However Asami was not willing to let Akihito go without something in return. Reaching out when Akihito begun to run, his hand managed to pick off his blond wig. The boy gasped shyly and covered his head with both his hands and continued on with his escape into the grey without stopping to glance back. He should of… Standing alone amongst the chaos, Asami observed the fake hair in his fist. He raised it up to smell in the underlying scent while glowering to Akihito's direction.

Bumping into random guests, Akihito was shoved and taken along by a stampede to the closest exit. Out of nowhere an arm coiled around his elbow. "Arghh!" Akihito shrieked. Was it Lord Asami?!

"Found you! It's me Val. What happened to your wig? Never mind, lets go!" The brown haired assured. Eri was also by his side. "Aki-kun! The bees are released!"

Akihito's mini heart attack diminished. "Guys! Why did—?"

"No time to explain. Come on! Blend in with the crowd!" The two older vampires tugged his sleeves to join in the frightened guests scrambling for fresh air. Akihito needed it too, his lungs were itching – he began to cough violently as well.

Asami's men shielded the entrance with their outstretched arms to quarantine the guests from leaving the premises in efforts to identify each person. They were able to hold the first few, however within a short amount of time, a horde of impetuous charging breached their arming barrier. Even Asami's tallest guard; Suoh Kazumi was unable to hold back the united force. Freed at last, everyone scattered. The sight was disorientating for the guards to discern the culprits from the innocent. Once outside, Eri pointed to a transport across the building. "Look over there! We use plan three?!" Akihito nodded with a thumbs up. He could not talk since his chest hurts.

"That will do!" Val said as he lowered his scarf to breathe properly.

Rushing to the other side of the street where a few public horse-carriages were parked horizontally (similar to parking taxi's waiting to serve), Eri hopped on the driver seat and brought the reins and commanding whip to her grip.

"Oi! What are you doing?! That's my…" The owner of the carriage scolded. Val and Akihito were quick to react and attacked the man with high kicks to the head to knock him out blank before boarding next to their elder companion.

"Uh, what?" A Silverblood caught a glimpse of the assault in the corner of his eye. Realizing that they were the targets, he alerted his fellow comrades. "Hey! They're over there!" Like dogs to cats, they sprinted after the cave dwellers while hurling out orders for them to stop what they're doing.

"Whip it Eri!" Akihito cried. "They're coming!"

"Got it!" She flicked the reins and the two horses neighed. Off the carriage went in full speed on the road and away from the pursing guards.

"Why did you guys do that for back there?!" Akihito could finally find the time to question why they thwarted the mission.

"Asami knew it was us all along. Our drinks were spiked! But not yours, odd isn't it?" Val explained his reasons.

"Spiked?! You two look fine!"

"We do now." Val pulled out a dehydrated plant containing drug counteracting properties from a hidden lace pocket in his skirt. "If it weren't for these emugai herbs, me and Eri would be licking the floor by now!"

"How did he know it was us?! Surely we'd be arrested since the start if he did. Are you sure you weren't drunk?!"

"Maybe he sent a spy, maybe he wanted to surprise us, maybe he just wanted to kiss you!"

"…What?! Hey, he thought I was Lady Sai!" Was Val trying to foment trouble talk with him?!

"Oi stop this carriage now!" An embodiment voice from behind spooked the three. Val and Akihito turned their bodies to find four guards in hot pursuit on their stallions. They caught up so fast, probably because the cave dwellers were joined to a heavy box with four wheels compared to a freed horse.

"We've got company!" Val hollered.

"Faster Eri-sensei!"

"Got it childreen!" She whip-lashed the horses harder. Their gallops quickened and the blowing winds disheveled their brushed white manes.

The enemy did the same to their horses until they surrounded the carriage both sides. Akihito had to share his limited stash of bee bombers with his cousin over Eri's head. Balancing on the wooden board was critical, otherwise they would fall and that would be catastrophic. Aiming with one eye squinting, the boys threw the balls. Val's shot missed terribly and it smacked against the busting chest of a female bystander by accident – she squealed in pain. He winced in guilt – _sorry_. Akihito also faulted his, it zipped past his target's head by a few inches. Unstoppable at this point, the guards were close to flanking, Eri swiftly made a sharp left turn to impede them. Akihito and Val clung onto the rails for deaf life, howling in fear of being launched off into the air from the acute swerve. Once straightened, they were able to settle themselves back down. Although more troubles laid ahead…they have reached the markets.

"Eri-sensei look out for people!" Akihito indicated.

"I know!"

"Ahhh!" Multiple pedestrians dove off to the side, dropping whatever goods they carried and plunging either onto the ground or wooden stalls belonging to various traders. One man wearing a fur coat was merrily walking and grappling his small barrel of the rarest wine under his armpit when he saw an oncoming carriage with three woman on it. Like the rest, he leaped from its flash course. Sadly he lost his grip and his barrel went flying – along with his alacrity of boozing – and thumping against a thin pole to wobble it until a lantern fell from its hook to set fire to a clothing stall beneath it. Screams of terror filled the market ambience as spreading flames consumed its way through the wooden stands adjacent to each other and wreaking havoc. Unable to outrun their chasers, the three looked to one last option that may place their own lives at risk – they utilized plan four. Eri maneuvered to a main road and towards a busy roundabout where a huge circular fountain was built.

"Oh great, now our image is ruined and we're really late!" A high pitched woman whined as she cooled her red face with a lace hand fan. She had blond hair which curled down to her wide hips and side bangs to conceal her natural square face. The woman was seated at the back of a roofless farmer's cart with two other woman beautifully dressed for a party.

"Ruined?! It was your fault you wanted to come out! You know how much we hate people!" This particular woman had brunette hair tied to a French bun. Her demeanor appeared unfriendly and disdainful which suited her gothic makeup and scrawny physique quite well.

"Geez yeah, if it wasn't for Sai and her stupid request we wouldn't even be in this embarrassing scenario." Another blond woman complained with her arms crossed as she rolled her fluttering eyes.

"Are you blaming me?!" The real Lady Sai snarled.

"Yes!" Lady Tora and Lady Mura replied in unison.

"If it weren't for you I could be at home sewing my frock for my birthday!" Tora vexed.

"And I could be preserving my animals for my art show if you didn't want a dance! I wouldn't be surprised if he rejected your request after seeing how ugly you are!" Mura denigrated her half-sister's appearance.

Hurt by her poisonous insult, Sai furiously slapped Mura across the cheek. "You bitch!"

"Ah," Mura placed a hand over the stinging site. "You fat slut!" She retaliated with a hair grab, thus commences a cat fight.

"Ladies! Please!" Their butler and personal bodyguards at the front tried to neutralize the brawl that was shaking the cart. Midway during their travel on a roundabout, a carriage larger than theirs emerged out of nowhere and speeded beside them. Its big wheels collided with their cart as it drifted around the fountain. Similar to a bully nudging a weaker opponent aside, the transport was overturned and the passengers toppled off to greet the road.

"SAI, THAT'S BAD LUCK TWICE TODAY!" Mura wailed and bawled her eyes out like a brat throwing a tantrum.

Approaching a dividing wall between werewolves and vampires, the cave dwellers sustained their momentum as they drove through the mighty steel gates. Generally these were closed, but a messenger sent from the werewolf district had been granted entry during this time, allowing the three to easily breeze through. All heads loitering by the gate clocked to the unpermitted carriage in bewilderment. The guards chasing stopped their horses immediately – they were afraid of trespassing into their nemesis's domain.

Entering dangerous territory now, they had to maintain the carriage's speed before jumping off and abandoning their ride when turning through an empty street. This active bait should lure any more pursuers away from them.

"So this is it?" Akihito's eyes downcast sadly as he stared at the open sewage hole Eri parted ajar. "We're basically giving up if we escape through the sewers? I mean…after all we've done." He swallowed a hard lump. "We can't give up now…" His voice sounded low and crackly. "W—what about the colony?"

Val gave a deep sigh. "Its not the end of the world. We still have thick walls. This potion was only to give us an advantage in hiding and escaping…they might not even break through…"

"Val's right Aki-kun. The previous hunt fell because our walls weren't thick enough. Besides no one dies in this hunt, people just get injured from sword play." She placed a palm on his shoulder and smiled warmly. "The hunt is dying every fifty years…I'm sure we'll make it through that night. If anyone gets taken, they'll still be alive."

Akihito shifted his anxious eyes to meet hers. "Are the people from the previous hunt still alive?"

"Yes they are. They're scattered throughout the whole Eastern land, safely living with their spouses from what we've seen so far."

"So compared to what everyone else told me…"

"Don't listen to them Aki-kun. They exaggerate their stories a little. Most are still healing that's why…"

"You two," Val whispered sharply. "We've got to go now before the werewolf guards sniff us out."

Eri returned her gaze to quickly finish off her sentence. "Takaba Akihito. You are the next chieftain in line. I'm proud of your firm stance for our people. Right now they need you back at home. There's no point going back to Sildörf, Asami already knows that it would be us if his ingredients go missing."

"Guys," Val gesticulated in frustration, "come on will you, they're getting close."

"Eri-sensei…thank you." The two exchanged a weak smile of hope before descending down one by one into the sewers. In spite of defeat, they prevailed onwards.

A tall handsome man with long and luxuriant black hair stepped outside a building designed in Chinese dynasty architecture. He irately strolled to his carriage from a meeting. His eyebrows furrowed inward – infuriated at the image of Asami monopolizing Vldörf. He had worked so hard, even possessing all of the powers a prince could embrace, he still had trouble setting a firm grip on Vldörf with all the competition from both Mikhail and Asami – Fei Long was not happy. Raising one leg onto the edge of the carriage, he paused when he heard a rumble of gallops. Suddenly, like a battering rammer, the two carriages collided side on.

"Ahh!" A little boy jumped and hid behind the prince's back.

"What the?!" Fei Long positioned himself in a defensive stance while his entourage rushed to protect him.

Tracing to the causative agent, he became completely mystified of seeing a public carriage belonging to the vampiric district, with no drivers, out of control in his district. Was Asami playing a prank on him? He better not be. Even though it did not tip over – though it was close to, the impact had cratered his sumptuous carriage that was crafted from pure jade and bejeweled by gold and diamond pearls. Fei Long was going to make the vampire lord pay for this…

 _Many hours later_.

The last dying embers had been stamped out and the injured carried away by stretchers to a hospital. An angry mob formed outside the entrance of Sildörf – they demanded answers and the hanging of the criminals responsible for their profit or physical suffering. Lord Asami immediately sprung to bury their worries with a very convincing speech. Once that was done, he spun his heel to walk back to his office with Suoh and Kirishima whom was writing in his workbook.

"What news do you bring me of the cave dwellers Suoh?"

"Well Lord Asami…" His voice lowered.

"Something wrong?"

"Yes and no sire…The spy we sent in the human district have confirmed they escaped safely and are now leaving the city."

"How did they escape from my men?"

"Well…that's the thing. They slipped through the gates to the werewolf district when Fei Long's messenger was passing through."

Asami stopped in the middle of the hallway with a serious look. "Did anything happen to them?"

"I don't think so. They escaped unharmed. I don't know how they did it, but they've managed to evade arrest again."

That was a great relief for the vampire lord. "Hm, is that so? Interesting, they've must of thought through their escape plans really well."

"Should we arrest them now?"

"No. Not yet…" He turned to his secretary. "Kirishima show me a list of all the charges and sentences for their crimes so far."

"Yes sire. Just a second, I'm just finishing the report…there you go." Kirishima handed the booklet to his leader. "Bare in mind sire, this is only a draft – the figures are likely to be greater or lesser than they appear.

Once in his palm, Asami carefully read the list of crimes they had committed since the sheep incident:

 _\- Trespassing into a superior lord's castle_

 _\- Public disturbance by releasing animals capable of harming or injuring a person_

 _\- Stealing confidential information from Lord Asami_

 _\- Assaulting a high ranking aristocrat_

 _\- Stealing a valuable possession belonging to a high ranking aristocrat and denying the truth_

 _\- Practice of sorcery and cover-up_

 _\- Bribery to reveal confidential information_

 _\- Identity theft of high ranking investors_

 _\- Trespassing into official property_

 _\- Chemical use of weapons to harm a person and resist arrest_

 _\- Property damage to Sildörf hallmark_

 _\- Stealing a public transport_

 _\- Speeding above speed limit_

 _\- Attempted attack on district guards_

 _\- Off road speeding and life endangerment to the public_

 _\- Minor and major injuries to civilians in the market_

 _\- Damage to goods and property by fire_

 _\- Evasion of law enforcement_

 _Total fine: 10,365 gold coins_

 _Predicted sentence: Life imprisonment or execution by hanging, crucifixion, drowning or guillotine._

 _Estimate overall damages: 72,037 gold coins_

Noticing an exorbitant amount that was worth half the value of his castle, he pointed to the numbers with a frown of disapproval. "Kirishima is there an error with your calculation here?"

"Ah that's the thing…I was meant to tell you sooner but you had to deliver your talk."

"Tell me what?" Asami's voice fell stern. Kirishima could feel the anger seeping from him.

"That the cave dwellers set the carriage loose on the streets of Fei Long's district. It damaged some of their property and apparently also his carriage that was crafted with gold and diamond decor. So he's charging you forty thousand gold coins, the other thirty thousand are property belonging to us and the merchants…" Kirishima gathered his courage, he braced himself for the worst. "And that's also one of the reasons why he wants to have a meeting with you in the main market district…"

"What?! He wants to talk?! TAKABA!" Asami tore the book in half within a split second. _Just you wait you sly bat, you owe me a great deal!_

Who was going to pay the debt if not Asami himself. As if Akihito could fork out approximately eighty-two thousand gold coins from his shallow pockets – the boy merely owns fifty gold coins.

…||[]||…

Day 6

The poorly lit caves pertained a dismal colony and their unkindled spirits. There was no song, no party, no smiles, but the air of misery and woe. During their return meeting, the companions explained the details of their mission to Masato and their friends. However Akihito did not appreciate the fact that Val revealed the kiss between him and Asami – it humiliated him. The two cousins had quarreled since Vldörf. Akihito was in denial with the vampire lord's real intentions, and instead blamed it on his brilliant disguise that was able to seduce him. Val was not convinced, he had this negative swell hassling the back of his mind. From what he saw – the selective spiking, Akihito chosen as his dance partner and where Asami should have detected his scent since their first hug and the kiss – it left him questioning why Akihito was targeted in the first place. Was he interested in the boy or just playing? Whatever it was Val could no longer stifle his opinion.

"What happens if Lord Asami decides to hunt?"

Akihito roughly nudged his cousin's elbow with an angry scowl. "Stop spouting out nonsense again Val! We've been over this, its just a kiss. He thought I was Lady Sai! End of story!"

"He should of picked up your scent though son," Masato remained skeptical on the possibility.

"Then if he did, he probably did it just to tease me!"

Val cocked his head. "Isn't a kiss a little too intimate for a tease? What actually happened outside the dungeons where Takato and Kou were held? Did something happen back then to prompt him to kiss you?"

"NO! NOTHING HAPPENED!" Akihito denied – stomping to emphasize his serious answer.

"Liar!" Val continued to pressure him into telling the truth.

"ENOUGH, BOTH OF YOU!" The chieftain silenced the two by banging his scrunched fist on the table. Eri and the others faded in with the background – they were speechless. "I understand what your point is Val but Lord Asami has never participated in the hunt. Ever. But we still need to remain vigilant. A vampire lord with an honor that high would never select a cave dweller as his spouse. Like Akihito said, he probably did it just to tease him…" Those last few words were hard for him to say without grinding his teeth.

"That's right. And if he wanted me, why doesn't he just lock me up so he doesn't have to hunt me?!" Akihito shoved Val's shoulder lightly.

"Then it wouldn't be called a hunt without a reason, would it?"

"That's bullshit…"

"Akihito. Hunting you would only be a game to him, and you know this."

Stolen of his words, Akihito flung his nose up high arrogantly. "I'm still not convinced Val."

"Belief all you want, but do heed this. If he comes, there won't be twenty five participants. He'll bring an army and his weapon."

Akihito's eyes widened to the fullest and his pupils dilated – unblinking as the world crumbled beneath his feet.

He didn't want to believe this. But what happens if it's true?

…||[]||…

Day 8

 _Clank, Clank, Clank!_

A pickaxe crafted from iron was repeatedly driven into a boulder. It's wielder, Takaba Akihito clutched onto the wooden haft – his fingers coiled to a squeeze as he directed his ire into his swinging motion. For days he was incensed and ripped by failure and mortification. Seeking something to vent his emotions on to, Akihito volunteered to labor himself at the underground mines.

After a rock had been separated from its original mass, Akihito collected the isolate to pile it in his metal wheelbarrow. As he was about to transport his full supply, he paused to wipe his dusty fingers on his dirty singlet or long pants. He then resumed back to work once cleaned and steered sullenly.

Arriving up at the lower main cavern, Masato placed a caring palm on Akihito's shoulder with a concerned look. "Son, you look pale and tired…"

"I'm fine." The blond curtly shrugged off his father's hand and continued on pushing. But his disregard failed to deter Masato's paternal duties.

"Akihito. You must rest. You haven't eaten properly in almost two days. Stop this. Everyone is worried about you. I hope you still aren't mad at Val for making a valid point." Akihito paid no attention to his father, he engrossed himself with the unloading. "Son, are you listening to me? I know your angry, but your health is important. Being emotional makes you do stupid things, it makes you unaware of how much you are punishing your body. Akihito!"

"I said I'm fine!" Akihito snapped sharply.

Masato sighed as he crossed his arms, the brawny man softened his demeanor a little to wiggle his way pass Akihito's irascibleness.

"Son. We don't need anymore rocks, the entrance is sealed off. There is no way they can blast through all those layers. So just—."

"We need more rocks…" Akihito quickly rose back up from his crouched position. However something was wrong…his head was suddenly flooded by a surging wave of dizziness. All he could hear was the constant ringing, palpitating heartbeat and shortness of breath drowning his inner ear. His legs jellied, eventually stability gave way and he fell backwards, luckily he was caught by his father. "Akihito!" That was the final word he could recognize before his vision skewed and he lost consciousness.

Several hours had passed and the boy remained asleep on his bed, sheeted up to his chest by a textile blanket woven from sheep wool. A lonely candle – the only source of light in the dark cave room – burned feebly on a nightstand. The flame swayed gently, flickering to toy with the muted shadows surrounding its yield. Like a weak flame suffering to blaze to fiery life, Akihito followed its footsteps. Amidst his sleep, the boy awoke to a strong desire to feed. His fangs begun to itch for fleshy penetration, an insatiable hunger calls for the sweet taste of blood… But he didn't have the strength to pull himself out of bed. He laid there in a torpid state with an unhealthy pallor and throbbing headache. Akihito could barely lift his heavy eyelids, they keep drooping into slits.

At this point he was now feeling confused, anxious and scared at the same time by the debilitating symptoms that left him incapacitated. Akihito wanted his father or Eri by his bedside. Hoping that the pair were nearby, he moaned out sickly, "…father, father…" However his voice came out low and inaudible for anyone in the other room to hear him, the walls were solid rocks, not planks of timber. Akihito grew desperate, ice shards formed within his throat, the boy was on the verge of tearing up. This was his first time experiencing such illness since vampires rarely get sick. He tried once more, "…father…please." Still, no answer came. The blond curbed up those damming tears. He was a man now, and no sickness was going to damage his pride. Mustering all of his energy, Akihito was able to move his right arm, though it was slow and shaky, he managed to land it on the nightstand, aiming to knock over the candle for attention.

"I've brought dinner," Eri announced as she entered the main living room. The woman held a clay pitcher of blood, freshly bleed just a few minutes ago from the penned animals on the lower floor. "Val, you eat too okay." She invited the brown haired over for a meal, Masato joined in as well. The three sat around the Takaba's dinner table, three tin cups lay waiting to be filled. As Eri served Masato first, then to Val, a faint clattering paused their conversation.

"I think Aki's awake," Val said flatly with his arms folded.

"Oh, Masato-sama. Invite Aki-kun to come drink. Poor boy overworked till he dropped, poor thing."

"…Yep, this won't take a minute." The chieftain got up to go check on his son's condition. Outside the boy's room, he raised the curtain aside, the room was pitch black. Masato assumed the candle fell off its handle. He whispered quietly, "Akihito?" A light moan inarticulate to Masato's ear responded. With no light present, the chieftain went to grab a small candelabra before reentering the room. He spotted the fallen candle on the floor, curious to how it ended up there still attached to its base, Masato extended the glow over to his son, and that was when he gasped in shock.

"Akihito! Goodness!" He instantly placed the candelabra on the nightstand. "What's the matter Akihito? Are you alright? My, your paler than before." Masato leaned closer to feel his son's forehead and neck, using his cold backhand as a natural thermometer to detect the slightest change in body temperature. No fever was found, however Akihito's fine cheeks were emaciated, dark circles were prominent and his right arm laid limp. What terrible sickness had befallen on his only child?

"Blood…blood…" Akihito wheezed pitifully. The edge of death tainted his soft pleading voice.

"Eri! Come in quick! Bring the pitcher!" Masato called aloud.

"Everything okay?!" The two barged in, perturbed by their chieftain's summon.

"Aki-kun?!" Eri, the protector and nurse gaped. "You look terrible. Here's the blood." She handed the pitcher to Masato.

"Here, drink this son." The chieftain slid his thick arm underneath Akihito's shoulder to elevate his upper body. Guiding the rim to his mouth, he arched the pitcher, tipping the liquid slowly down his son's sucking lips. Once Akihito's tongue tasted the blood, his survival instincts begun to hijack his conscience. Trembling arms rose to latch onto the pitcher greedily as the three vampires watched in astonishment over his guzzling struggles. Akihito swallowed large gulps incessantly despite Masato's attempt to yank the pitcher back to let him catch a full breath. "Slow down son," he whispered.

Up the angle went as Akihito drank, slurping to vacuum in the final streams of blood and leaving no drops behind. "My gosh, how many mouths are you feeding Aki? Are you starving that badly?! That could feed three grown vampires!" Val was confounded by the voluminous intake.

Quenched at last, Akihito's arms sagged to his lap and he closed his eyelids to rest. Masato laid his son back on the mattress and pillow, propping his head to the middle of the cushioning valley. Eri took hold of the pitcher from the chieftain's hand when Val shuffled to her side. Together they gazed down into the empty pitcher, flummoxed looks were pinned to their crooking brows.

"I don't think Aki's well."

"Of course he's not well! He's losing blood or he's lost blood.…This isn't a sign of starvation…Well it is found in starvation, but half-blood vampires can go without blood for weeks, even after physical work. Full bloods can go without a meal for centuries since their skins just shrivel!" Eri informed based on her medical knowledge.

"Blood loss?! I have to see if this is true. Eri help me check him."

"Yes Masato-sama. Val, go get me my white medical bag. The one with the herbs," Eri instructed the younger vampire.

"Understood," the brown haired rushed off to obtain the bag requested.

Masato and Eri scanned Akihito's entire body, searching for any signs of external or internal bleeding under his slack sleepwear consisting of boxers and a white singlet. Of course they conducted this physical examination without his permission, however it was necessary to save his life. After exploring every nook and cranny, they exhaled in relief, no signs of severe blood loss were found – only a layer of mystery.

"Well, what do you think he has Eri?" The chieftain asked, unsettled by the lack of physical evidence.

"I seriously don't know. In my many years of taking care of my patients, I've only seen these type of symptoms in extreme starvation with half-bloods, blood loss, or pregnancy when a woman bears vampire children and she hasn't eaten in days. But he's a boy, so I would have to pin this down to a secret dieting habit."

"Diet?! For a guy? Are you telling me he thinks he's fat?!"

Eri shrugged her shoulders tentatively. "I don't know. It's the only explanation so far. Plus I remember clearly that he told Lord Asami that he was on a diet. During our disguise though, but it may be true."

Masato gave a long stressful sigh. "So what do we do now?"

"We keep him well fed, keep an eye on him, fix his diet and make sure he eats on time. I'll put some soybean powder in there for him, whether he likes it or not. He hasn't kept his human side well fed either since childhood. Thanks to you." The woman shot an accusative glare.

"Hey, don't blame me. He likes the blood more as he grew up."

"He needs to maintain both diets. He's a fifth generation hybrid. His human side had probably accumulated over those generations, and his body will recover faster with the extra vitamins in his system."

Nature had forbidden propagation amongst full-blooded vampires, their dysfunctional gonads had precluded them from an opportunity to procreate, therefore a human – living and conceivable – was essential for the creation of a half-blood, also known as a hybrid. Since the discovery of this 1000 years ago, numerous opposing factions arose, mainly from humans, to eradicate this taboo practice. Identifying a hybrid requires a series of tests, one involving; detection of a working heart, presence of soul – only seen through the arts of magic, a stronger tolerance for the sun and the ability to consume most human foods in liquid form.

The first generation of hybrids went on to mate with full-bloods to create a second generation. This new generation of hybrid-almost full blood then procreated with humans again to create a third generation, thus the cycle repeats. However procreation was capped at the third generation by the Alvichors in fear of emerging mutations. Only the first and second generation were allowed to have children, the third and beyond cannot. Any existing generation higher than the third would face the consequences of death by burning for both the child and parent. Due to this strict law, many abiding vampire parents chose to adopt human babies before converting them into their own kind at a certain age. Distinguishing a generation can only be spotted by Alvichor psychics, whom journey across the vast lands. Seemingly, their travels to the Eastern border had been reduced since Asami took power. Again, the reason was unknown, this remains a private matter between him and the Alvichor council.

Nonetheless, many brave-hearted vampires continued to procreate in secrecy, for instance the East cave dwellers. They multiplied to the sixth generation, breeding like infested rats in a gutter and hidden from the world and stalking eyes of the Alvichor. The first outsider to ever discover their homely cave was Lord Asami and his followers two hundred years ago. The vampire lord was expanding his territory when he encountered an elusive neighbor. Compared to the other cave dwellers he had came across throughout his lifetime, these dwellers were; worshippers of Aurieas (a well-known religion believing in that all three major races and nature should coexist peacefully), smart, civilized and gifted with remarkable beauty. Henceforth they were constantly victimized during the Bloodmoon period.

"Okay, okay," Masato surrendered to the woman. "You can keep track on what he eats."

"Good. I'll be right back then. I'll also add some of the revitalizing tonic supplement into his drink."

 _Revitalizing tonic_ , Masato shivered to his core. _Poor son_ , was all he could say.

…||[]||…

Day 9

The ninth day had approached and all preparations were complete, now they just had to wait. In the meantime Akihito provided low-spirited onlookers with a bit of light entertainment.

"Shit…Oh my god, where do I go?!" Akihito's head spun directionally, swiveling with celerity and the horror of being caught. He made a coward retreat past Val and his father to escape a nurse's tenacity. The two older male vampires were leaned against a wall on the second level – their attention never leaving him unattended. The stress burdening them had been notched down a few levels after observing Akihito's fast recovery. They grew confident of his health, especially since his complexion had returned to its original light shade and for a bonus, he had gained enough energy to run away from Eri.

Yesterday Akihito had endured an unknown malady, but whatever it was – as quickly as it came crashing – he was completely cured within one night. All thanks to the bloody soybean milk blended with a special tonic passed down through centuries. Its taste so disgusting and overpowering that legend says it could even bring a man back from the brink of death. For only a small added amount of half a teaspoon, Akihito's tongue would be swamped by torturous flavors unknown to the topmost chef. If he were to describe the taste he would compare it to rotten cheese mixed with copper, solidified fat and ginger. Such tonic should be damned, for it left him tremoring at the invasive thoughts of another episode similar to this in the future.

Akihito had protested until his jaws could dislocate from his skull. He was fed up with the inane questions interrogating him of his secret diet. No matter how much he retorted to demonstrate his innocence, they turned a deaf ear and continued to punish him. In the end, he was outnumbered. Thus he was made to drink four bowls since he woke up. This was going to be his fifth – so he fled.

"Aki-kun! Aki-kun! Where are you?!" Eri's motherly voice echoed through the main cave. She searched for the boy with a silver bowl in one hand, the other a white bib.

"Oh no…" Akihito dove into a nearby storage cave-room. Baskets of dried grains and shelves stacked with jars of pickled vegetables, cheese and bottled wine lined the room. The boy skipped over the sacks of sugar with nimble movements before lifting up the lid of an empty barrel to hide in. Crammed into a cylindrical hollow, Akihito's shoulders trembled as his teeth chattered nervously.

Tired of wandering in circles, Eri inhaled in deeply through her nose. "Where has that boy run off to?" The woman turned to find a majority of the colony watching her. Deducing their amusement and eye shift, she traced their hints to a cave-room not far from where Masato and Val stood. "Liars. They must have fallen for Aki-kun's puppy begs," Eri huffed under her breath. "Anyhow, storage room here I come."

Curling into a ball, Akihito regulated his irregular breathing. The clacking of heels in the same room alerted him of her close proximity. Suspense was building up, waiting to crack, and that was when it happened…

Eri suddenly plucked the lid of the barrel open. "Found ya!"

"Eek!" Akihito yelped and blenched visibly before shrinking his body inward as if he were an armadillo. The woman loomed over the boy and uttering, "tsk, tsk, tsk," as she shook her head sideways in disappointment.

"Please Eri-sensei, I've recovered!"

"I knew I should of recommended bed rest to your father."

"Please don't make me drin—eeee!"

Too late. She fished him out of the barrel. Hiding was fruitless.

Meanwhile at Asami's grand castle.

Two personal maids, uniformly dressed in black and white – designed with a Victorian fit – formally bowed in respect to the vampire lord. The woman were punctilious in every task they performed in order to provide a service worthy of royalty. "Lord Asami, all of your last minute requests have been fulfilled."

"Good. You may leave my quarters now," Asami dismissed his workers.

"Yes my lord. Let us know when you need anything." They bowed once more before departing.

Asami returned his gaze to the towering full moon. Tomorrow this faint-blue orb would wane and wax to a new moon resembling of blood. He sat there lounging on his antique armchair while a fireplace emanated an amber warmth behind his back. Tendrils of smoke floated through the air in front of his enigmatic face from a pencil-thin cigarette pipe between his fingers.

Life had never been so exciting.

He was ready for the Bloodmoon Hunt…

* * *

AN:/ For those who are confused with the generations, let me simplify it.

1st generation = half blood (must mate with full bloods to create second generation)

2nd generation = classified as full blood despite being ¾ (must mate with humans to create third generation)

3rd generation = half blood (repeat cycle)

4th generation = full blood

5th generation = half blood

If your still confused, p.s it's a fanfiction and its best not to put too much logic into it.

For those who guessed that Akihito was a half blood, congrats. It was pretty obvious with the clues I gave you haha.

One more note. Kirishima and Suoh usually addresses Asami as Asami-sama, but being in an AU with such a high position compared to a underworld figure, he is called sire or Lord Asami.


	7. Run Away Bride

I like to thank all of those who have supported me, including the reoccurring reviewers. Because of you, we have finally approached a milestone.

* * *

 **{~0~}**

 **Run Away Bride**

The tenth day had come and the night finally bled to plague the minds of all three races. Humans particularly were neurotic with their beliefs on doomsday and its upcoming cataclysm. They would hang superstitious artefacts and crucifixes on their front door to ward off any evil spirits that may try to gain a foothold in their world. For werewolves, this was a time when aspiring warriors could exert their true strength by fighting in an arena since the bloodmoon amplified their supernatural abilities. The winner will be able to aggrandize their social standing, therefore ranking them as the upper alpha male or female and rewarding them with bountiful riches. Meanwhile as one race hid and one combated for recognition…one hunted for love.

A long time ago, in ancient times, there lived a wealthy young vampire. He was an avid student, committed to his studies in the arts of magic and known for his daring experiments. His parents were proud of his achievements and showered him with love. As happy as he was to be the jewel of his family's eye, one day they approached him and insisted that he marry his distant cousin and preserve their sacred bloodline. Disbelieved by such exhort from the admiring couple he called parents, he refused, for he was in love with someone else, a commoner. Unable to obey, he ran from home and convinced his beloved to elope with him – she agreed. Angered by their son's betrayal, they hired secret agents to kidnap him and return him home. Once found, the couple were separated by force and his parents locked him in a gloomy basement to punish him – the woman was banished and threatened to abandon him. But all of this didn't stop the assiduous vampire from fighting for whom he loved. Reciting a powerful incantation, he was able to break free from their grasp and ran in search for his lover. He never stopped, even when his family's servants were pursing him – he continued on hunting.

At last, when he found her during the beautiful night of a full moon, he proposed to her, but they didn't have a ring, nor could they arrange a fancy wedding. However, being a magic user did have its perk in the relationship department. The young vampire conjured a spell, one that branded skin to symbolize eternal binding and an excellent replacement for a wedding ring since it was permanent. The night after they consummated their marriage, he came back from downstairs to find his wife, dead – assassinated in bed without any signs of struggle. Her throat was slit open and the sheets were covered in a splatters of blood. His heart shattered into glass pellets, he knew his parents were held accountable, but he didn't have the inner killer instincts to carry out a revenge, they were his biological parents after all, driven by selfish emotions. He could not live without her, not by himself, so he casted one last spell with the tips of his trembling fingers…He sacrificed his life to walk by her side hand-to-hand into the white light. Thus every fifty years, their story of undying love, pain and hardship painted itself on the moon.

For ages, people speculated on why the moon would transition to a red illumination every five decades, though the most reasonable answer given was that the young vampire was an awful spell caster. He even forget to set the binding process to private mode. Now every vampire in the world could propose by binding, but to marry, was to consummate, and the binds then can remain permanent. And to divorce, was to abandon.

Nevertheless, from the young vampire's incanted error – birthed the Bloodmoon Hunt. It's controversial practice gained popularity amongst those desperate for companionship, or for those who wanting to conquer the weak for self-pleasure or triumph. Both harm or good to the victim depends on the hunter themselves. Overall the hunt has two simple rules: thou shall not kill and thou shall only use swords. Generally these rules are disregarded, but with Lord Asami in power, it was compulsory to adhere to it. Finally, in order for the marriage to be complete, a hunter must follow three mandatory rituals. These are: selection, binding and consummation, and must be fulfilled correctly before dawn, otherwise the binds would be deemed invalid.

 ** _Asami will show you how it's done…_**

…||[]||…

Through the light haze of the forest night, glows of fiery torches and the sounds of rotating machinery screeching in the distant, signified the advent of an ancient hunt. A mammoth beast of silver, forged by steel was manned with its circular mouth positioned to face the sealed cave hole. Down under, all traps were setout and the woman and children congregated by the emergency exit. Akihito and Val were given specific orders to guide them to safety, whereas the others had been assigned as protective fighters, equipped with pitchforks or one-handed swords, blunt of its sharpness, but still, harmful in the hands of a skilled warrior. The colony waited restlessly for time to pass, their hands fidgeted with whatever came in touch and conversations were minimized to a brief chat. Every now and then a child fussing or the echoes of booted feet clomping and isolated coughs would disturb the quietness.

A sixth generation infant squirmed and fussed in her mother's arm, her greed for attention irritated those around her, regardless of the pampers she received. Akihito, whom had been sitting on the ground with his legs crossed beside Val, frowned tiredly after enduring a two hour session of musical wailing. A replay was about to start, judging from her whimpering pout and watery eyes, and he wasn't going to tolerate it anymore. Especially since she was directly to his right. His poor ears. Akihito leaned forward, catching her gaze before making funny faces in hopes to pacify her. Surprisingly it worked and the baby giggled at his lips pursing, amused by his ability to voluntarily deform his normal expression.

"Are you having fun there?" Val asked with a hint of annoyance in his tone. According to his logic, this was classified as babysitting, and it was tedious for a man of his skill. A proficient swordsman should be allocated with a more challenging task, or to say, a violent one, involving slaying which suited his tastes more.

Akihito shrugged his shoulders. "What's there to do? We've been sitting here for three hours now. Gah, my legs feel uncomfortable." A numbing sensation prickled his legs, recommending that he should uncross it and allow proper blood circulation, he heeded his body's wants by stretching it out. Nicely repositioned, Akihito sighed jadedly before seeking one's company to his left. "Hey Val?"

"What?" He replied while staring elsewhere with a lack of interest.

"What's the best way to kill time?" Akihito wanted to immerse himself with an engaging activity to accelerate time and alleviate the growing anxiety. The faster the night ends, the better it was for all of them and life could resume back onto its original track.

"Meditate, read a book, eat, drink, I don't know. It's up to you."

 _BOOM_!

A terrifying explosion sent the entire cave quaking for several seconds. Up on the ceiling, dust gratified and the spires of stalactites shook, threatening the dwellers below it of its falling danger. Shouts of alarm spread and everyone stumbled onto their feet to stare towards the entrance, manifesting with fear. Babies became frightened and began to cry, while the children buried their small faces in the skirts of their caretakers with their arms tightly wrapped around a thigh or waist, cowering in terror.

 _"Oh Aurieas, they're breaking in!"_

 _"It's begun!"_

 _"And Asami let them bring their weapon too!"_

It wasn't unexpected that the Silverbloods would utilize such unfair tactics to infiltrate their fortification. But were their efforts to no avail of holding them out, against a weapon that sunders the earth? Straight after the first, another thunderous bang came and timorous yells pitched higher. The blast felt incredibly stronger than the day when Asami conducted his search for sorcery, clearly, this weapon must be greater in size than the initial one, for it's impact was far more deafening.

Akihito internally fell into despair, the bringing of this weapon could mark Lord Asami's participation – Val's theory haunted him to this very second and he questioned its veracity. Perhaps if he was gifted with a special ability to see-through things, maybe that would offer some relief, or worse, it could indicate the demise of his intended future. Right now a third shot had been cannoned and the group he was directed to supervise, huddled closer to the emergency exit – their focus never drifting from the entrance. Masato, Eri, Akihito's friends and the other cave dwellers remained in their respective spots, either trembling nervously or praying. For a minority of humans living within the vicinity, their bladders were fairly close to bursting and their concerns were much more greater, they just hoped the Silverbloods did not dine while hunting.

Meanwhile as Val attempted to calm the group of their jitters, Akihito realized something odd. "Wait! Did they stop?!" He exclaimed. The attacks had been discontinued for a few minutes now.

"They did! But why?!" Val queried.

All heads swayed to glance at each other, confused by the ceasefire. No one moved an inch nor spoke, they listened carefully, analyzing the enemy's next potential move. Akihito looked down to his father on the second level, the two exchanged perplexed shrugs and communicated by mouthing out succinct words. He was told to stay put until Masato authorized the evacuation. With that said, Akihito returned to Val's side and the two idled by the stone door with their backs turned to it. Moments later, a mortal toddler styled in braided piggy tails, saw the door parted open slightly. She gaped in wonderment, but due to her young age little knowledge had forestalled her capability to warn them of the unfolding situation.

Akihito's nose twitched, he had caught the scent of an animal. "Is it me or do I smell wet dog?"

"I smell it too," Val also noticed this anomaly – the other vampires begun to pick up the odor as well. "But we don't have any dogs in the pen." A chill of realization slithered along their spines, the two boys instantly swiveled around at the same time to confirm their suspicions. _Oh no_! They gasped in horror at the daunting sight of a black gap, which meant the button had been pressed on the other side or theirs to unlock it – but by whom?

"Akihito, did you press the button?" His voice lowered as cold sweat perspired.

"No, did you?" The blond denied.

"No," he shook his head before leveling his eye to meet with Akihito's. There was only one explanation to this problem – the enemy had discovered their secret path.

Without warning, the stone door began to budge open, something or someone was pushing it. The two immediately sprung into action and jammed the stone back in place and drew every ounce of energy to brace. The group saw the foray and settled the children aside to join in and help. The many arms contributed to keep the intruders out, never before had Akihito been so proud of his people's strive, he barely had to strain a leg, for now.

"Akihito, Val! What's wrong?!" Masato frantically sprinted to the gather. Eri and Akihito's friends also followed on afterwards. Arriving up, a young lady quickly explained what happened. Shock by the news, Kou and Takato weaved themselves through to replace the weaker pushers while Eri ushered the children to a safer place. Masato scrambled in search for boulders and ordered his men along the way to help barricade the door this instance. This was unforeseen, just how did the Silverbloods navigate their way through a labyrinth of tunnels? Even with dogs, whose pheromones did they trace? And was the weapon merely used just to distract them?! Evidently it appears that the enemy sought the element of surprise, but thankfully Akihito and Val were nearby to halt their entry.

Open and close, the door went, as the other side was also trying their hardest. Akihito's teeth grinded and his face reddened as he withheld the opposition with his back and digging his boots into the ground. "Push!" They repeated over and over again. All the sudden, they could feel the outsiders slacken their push. _Strange_ , Akihito thought. Were they giving up? Apparently he was wrong…A powerful force, extreme in its plow, thumped loudly against the stone door. Every sheer pound caused their hands to rebound off, but they were quick to plant their palms back on and resume pushing.

"What the hell are they using?!" Kou cried.

"I don't know!" Akihito panicked.

"Guys this isn't good! It's crackiiinggg!" Val warned aloud. Indeed the stone door was breaking, the cracks zigzagged through the middle, chipping off with every hit taken.

"This cannot be happening!" Akihito pressed his palm on the lines as if he could bandage it from further damage.

"It's going to give!" Takato yelled.

"Noooooo!" Val wailed.

And it did give way…

The stone door, right in front of them, crumbled to a pathetic pile of rubble. Akihito and the others bounced back a few meters, unsheathing their swords from their belts while the rest of the group ran off screaming, "they're in, they're in!" In the veiling shadow, emerged Lord Asami, grinning as his golden eyes glinted darkly with malevolence. He was dressed in a simple hunter's clothing consisting of track pants, high boots and a white shirt, where its short-cut sleeve choked to show his muscular biceps. The vampire lord dusted his fingerless-leather gloved hands before rubbing his palms together in a conceited manner to intimidate them of his strength. _Did he just smash a thick stone door with his own bare hands?!_ The cave dwellers gaped widely in astonishment. Snapping out of their minds, they pointed their shaky swords at Asami as a warning not to overstep his line. The only person unmoving…was Akihito. He froze, eyes wide like he'd seen a ghost. _This is not possible_ , he cried inside, _its not possible. Why?!_ It felt as if a fatal blow had been hammered to his chest and all he could feel was the aura of doom squashing down on his shoulders. Val was right. He had been blind.

"What is Lord Asami doing here?!" Takato gritted emotionally.

"Takaba Akihito." Asami eyed his prey with a predatory stare, beckoning his index finger back and forth. "Be a good boy and come here."

"Back off!" Val snarled while slashing his sword in diagonals when he stepped in front of his younger cousin. "Akihito is not going with you!"

"How did you find a way in?!" Kou demanded an explanation.

Without saying much, Asami shuffled to the side. From behind him, a brown werewolf revealed itself slowly, trotting on four legs and deeply growling before dipping its mouth down to spit out a blond wig belonging to Akihito. The cave dwellers could not utter a single word, they knew based on the trio's story that Akihito lost his wig somewhere, but little did they know Asami had kept it for this very reason.

"Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Goro." The vampire lord gently patted its soft fur. "He's a young tracker for hire in Vldörf. He's done an excellent job, and not to mention your scent was fresh. Did you know during the Bloodmoon a werewolf can track a scent that has been left there for months? Interesting isn't it?"

 _No_! Akihito averted his gaze to the floor, grasping his hair and tugging it until a dull ache radiated on his scalp. This was all his fault, his doing, and it has brought disaster to his colony. He was a failure, a shame and he deserved to be banished for his foolish mistakes, now he must face the repercussions. Akihito cursed himself, the guilt jabbed his gut, tormenting him of his letdown, he wore a pensive look.

"Stop gloating and go back from whence you came!" Val hissed.

"Feisty, aren't you Lady Mura?" Asami angled his chin up with a smile Val wanted to wipe off.

The brown haired glowered. "So you know…"

"It wasn't so hard to guess…besides, I know a few who've caught a keen interest in you, and they can't wait to start." Lord Asami clicked his fingers and finally stepped into the main cavern before moving aside and creating room for his men. "Let the hunt begin!"

Thus heralds the **_official_** start of the Bloodmoon Hunt.

One by one, in single file, the participants and volunteers who had come to lend a hand for their buddies, marched into the premises, endlessly, as if the tunnel spawned out Silverbloods. Asami had truly brought his army and most likely for protection purposes. Val, Kou and Takato shielded Akihito – forging backwards – as the enemy closed in and surrounded their front with Asami leading in the middle. All swords were drawn and a mood of bellicose imbued fiercely.

"Aki, run now!" Val beseeched and roughly shoved his shoulder.

"What about you?!" Akihito looked to him with worried eyes.

"I'll be fine. Now go!" He gave him a smile of reassurance, a swordsman trained for this should have no problems, that's what he tried to put in Akihito's unnerving self.

The boy's head swayed from Val to Asami, dithering on whether he should stand and fight or scoot, assessing the risk.

"I said run! Don't be stubborn you idiot, you won't win!"

Eventually, Akihito ran, dropping his weapon to lighten his escape. He sprinted down the slope and shot frequent glances at the vampire lord to monitor his progression in terms of chasing. However along the way, he accidently crashed into his father and yelped. Masato propped a stout stalagmite, the same length as him, against the wall.

"Akihito! They're in, why aren't you fighting?! We need to spare time for…" He couldn't see Asami from this field of view, but when he saw the trouble lingering in his son's eyes, his heart sank deeply. His nephew had predicted the worse and he'd should've been more serious with his preparation.

"As—Asa—Asami he…" Akihito stuttered, unable to complete his sentence with all the adrenalin pumping through his brain.

"That bastard, how dare he hunt my son! Akihito, listen to me!" Masato's palm rested on the side of his son's head – their eyes making contact, "you must run! Find somewhere to hide, go to the mines, lose him there if we can't hold him back!"

"Hai!" Akihito nodded. The best area to prevent his precious body from being turned into Asami's spouse, was the mines and that's where he headed.

Meanwhile up by the exit, the three men, joined in by the other cave dwellers, were completely outnumbered. They firmly held their ground, the space thinning between them. The Silverbloods grew impatient and eager, who knows how long the **selection** process will take, hence they shall spare no time. In the rising heat, the enemy charged and the two sides clashed on. Sharp sounds of metal clanking hounded the cavern, followed by an obstreperous war cry and pandemonium. A battle reigned and the cave dwellers weren't having that much luck, even through all the parrying and the aggressive display, they were forced into a gradual retreat. The numbers are just overwhelming, and in consequence, each individual cave dweller was ganged up on and physically knocked out by the pommel end of a sword, leaving the hunted vulnerable to the hunters.

Mid-battle, a mighty swing had whacked Val's sword off from his grip, he gasped as his only weapon of defense went flying out of his reach. Stripped to his bare hands, he knew he had to run without delay. However his freedom will not be easily granted, the Silverbloods nabbed him by the arm, neck and chest and hauled him like a pack of hungry monsters pulling their prey in to be mauled. Shrilling in protest and wriggling every movable limb possible, Val became the first victim to be carried away…

Well pleased with the interference his army provided, Asami and the majority of participants cruised through the rabble and towards the main lower cavern. Arriving, their eyes scanned all over the area, including the ceiling, studying the barren rocky landscape and animal pen that seemed quite fishy to their liking. Traps may be present – but hidden, they proceeded in caution. Asami spotted multiple fake floors, his brilliant vision, even in the dark, enabled him to discern a grey fabric from a plain rock. Kneeling down on one knee, he curiously removed the quilt in front of him and inspected what laid under. His left brow crooked, for what he saw, could have been where he would've fallen.

Beneath the camouflaged material, was a pit, wide enough to fit two grown men and high enough for them to get stuck in. Asami pointed to the locations of all the suspected pits and his men noted every detail. They began to walk to an opening that lead to the mines, carefully, and avoiding the pits. Passing an animal pen fenced by wooden rails, a small group of cave dwellers disguising as sheep, unveiled themselves and leapt out to ambush the hunters. Again swords crossed but Asami was in no mood to fight, he had his own blade strapped to his belt, however it was reserved for actual enemies and not some bat. Two cave fighters stormed to his direction, but his men were quick to his aid. Life was simple, he didn't even have to raise a finger. Though boredom was the key problem and he ditched the rest of his party in search for his bride.

The vampire lord, confident in all his glory that no one could interrupt his hunt…was wrong. Striding along, he sensed a whoosh of air wafting his way, his iris shifted to the corner of his eyes before widening in surprise, but his reactions to dodge were too late. A stalagmite; thick and concreted, pummeled against his chest, he let out a " _oomph_ " before being pancaked onto the ground. Someone had dared to oppose him and by throwing a freaking, massive rock at him too! Blinking and shaking his head to clear the blurs, Asami recollected his bearing, a burst of anger prompted him to push the stalagmite crushing him off to the side, if he were human, he'd be dead and his ribs, fractured. Staggering a little as he stood back up, he exhaled heavily through his nose, fuming, while his eyebrows furrowed inward until they could almost meet, his death glare, sharper than a dagger traced to the perpetrator…the chieftain, a neighbor from hell.

Masato stood defiantly in his samurai hakama – showing no weakness – all muscles were flexed, arms placed on his hips and his chest popped outward, demonstrating the fine attributes that define him as chieftain. He, too, glared at Asami with disdain. "You dare try and take my boy! Out of all the woman, why him?!"

Asami gave an arrogant smirk – one that nettled the chieftain's temper. "Let's just say I have an interest in him."

Exasperating, Masato's face reddened. "Bullshit, is this marriage politically driven? Are you attempting to end the Takaba's ascendency?! Is this what it's all about? Removing the only heir for your own benefit?!"

"You use such big words for a mere bat," he condescended. "And to answer your question, Akihito is indebted to me and your accusations are partly correct."

"You son of bitch!" Masato spat at the provocative response – his veins, bulging. "Akihito is indebted to no one, not even you! He's just a young lad, he makes mistakes, it's normal, doesn't mean you have to kidnap him!"

"I understand your concern." He nonchalantly patted away the dust motes coating his shirt. He knew how to ruffle someone's feathers while making himself appear as the bigger man. "Now if you excuse me, I have a hunt to attend to." The vampire lord rudely excused himself and turned his back.

"OI! YOUR NOT GOING ANYWHERE NEAR MY BOY!" Masato's deep voice bellowed at him as he waved his fist in the air. Asami paid no attention to his warning and kept on walking. "STOP ASAMI! I SAID STOP! FIGHT ME YOU COWARD!"

This piqued Asami's interest – he stopped. An invitation to duel? Well this is something he was unable to decline. He detested Masato, and for all the crimes committed that he had forgiven in the past, he was now able to teach him a lesson. "Very well…this shouldn't take long. I've always wanted to crush you. Prepare yourself. Bat…" He cracked his knuckles threateningly.

The two leaders, future son-in-law and future father-in-law (they hated the very thought of this connection), confronted each other face to face with a ten feet gap between them. In an imaginary dimension, Asami's qualities depicted a black panther whose traits were cunning, stealthy, fast and prowling with strength. Whereas Masato could be described as a grizzly bear; powerful, formidable opponent and deadly, but slower in speed. Eyes filled with hostility locked on, waiting for the other to initiate the first move. Masato, being fueled by emotions, roared in rage before charging in madly, his body mass similar to an oncoming horse. Asami swerved to the side and deployed a cheap counterattack. With his left leg, he extended it out and tripped Masato as he ran by. The chieftain face-planted and grunted in pain, his complexion, now red as a beetroot.

"Asami, you little…" He muttered and clenched his fists. Shooting back up to see the vampire lord muffling his snicker, Masato ignited. His volcano exploded from humility. Gritting his teeth, he retaliated by hurling swings, Asami veered from it's course with agile steps, left and right, with each punch swishing past his nose by a small margin. Even though Masato's attacks were missing, he didn't give up, instead he lunged forward with his arms spread as an eagle and coiled it around Asami's neck and spinning him around before suppressing him with a suffocating head-lock from behind. Asami motioned his hands to tightly clutch Masato's big arm and flipped him over his head – forgetting how strong he was – this body slam resulted in an instant KO. Masato, like the rest of the defeated fighters sprawled out, were sent on a trip to dreamland.

The vampire lord scoffed. "And you call that a fight? Unbelievable…" He knew from the beginning that this was going to be a fight, unworthy and vapid. Werewolves are his perfect foes, fearsome and armed to their teeth when provoked, thus putting up a good fight. Nonetheless, Akihito's father was finally detached from his tail and Asami celebrated the freedom available. He rendezvoused with the participants now entering the mines.

Like hunting a wild animal, his excitement accrued.

…||[]||…

Blood curdling screams for help resonated through the unlit tunnels in every direction as they were separated, captured and dragged away. As much as Akihito wanted to save his people, he couldn't, he had to save his own neck from Asami. Disbanded from Eri's side by an unstoppable swarm, he fled, running into the darkness and down into the deepest layer. There was nowhere to hide, his untamed figure moved swiftly, brushing his palm along the claustrophobic walls for guidance, his pupil dilated to adjust to the pitch dark. Initially he was born with hazel eyes, but living in a cave altered his pigment to a light blue shade, a normal physiological change commonly seen in most cave dwelling vampires to adaptively enhance their night vision.

Akihito kept running, his legs set to autopilot as his mind became addled with the fear of being taken. "Fuck!" He met a dead-end. Turning around immediately, the boy stilled when he heard the clacking of booted heels not far from his location. Someone was close by, he could no longer loiter. Tip toeing as quietly as a mouse while leaning his back against the wall, he peaked half of his head out and surveyed. With no one in sight, he crept from the corners, flicking vigilant glances here and there while listening. But all he could hear was the sound of his heart pacing and his heavy breathing and the occasional shrieks in the distant. Akihito took tentative baby steps, his main objective point was the emergency exit. Every inch of the cave served as a hunting ground, therefore he must seize this opportunity to outrun Asami through this intricate maze.

"Akihito…" In the eerie silence, a whisper, ghostly and familiar, faintly echoed his name, calling for his presence.

Goosebumps spiked like ice gliding on his skin. Akihito shuddered and recoiled away from an intersection. He could not pinpoint to its exact location, but he did register the voice belonging to a stalker, pervert and a bastard strictly known as Lord Asami. The predator was nearby, waiting for its tasty rabbit to come out of its burrow. Akihito clenched the chest fabric of his shirt and crouched lower. Unsure to why the older vampire decided to casually call him by his first name on a whim, Akihito gulped with a sense of foreboding, a knot formed in his dry throat.

"Akihito…" Asami whispered again, this time the volume drew closer. "I can smell you. You can't hide anywhere…"

All of Akihito's muscles stiffened into a statue, he had totally forgotten about his scent. But why can't he smell Asami? Then, he perceived the truth, Asami had definitely created the potion for his own benefit and was currently wearing it, giving him an extraordinary advantage. That in fact would mean that Akihito had no other alternative but to scram, fast, no hesitation, for he was detectable on Asami's radar.

He scampered for his life around a corner without checking and unexpectedly colliding into a body. Petrified by the solid, black, tall silhouette, Akihito screamed, "Haaargghhh!" Its hands, tough as steel ensnared him in an instant. He writhe, punched and kicked relentlessly but he was no match, he fell prisoner to its wrapping arms. Looking up to his captor, golden orbs floating in the dark stared right into his like it was able to catch a glimpse of his soul.

It was Asami.

Akihito had a stupefied look and his teeth trembled before he could summon enough courage to put up one hell of a resistance. "Let me go! Let me go! Let me go you bastard! Gnarhhhgg!" He protested while repeatedly beating Asami's chest with the side of his fists.

"Well aren't you eager to become mine," Asami teased. He clamped the boy in closer like a snake coiling in its meal.

"Fuck you! I'm not going to be your…mgfffhh." Akihito's words were eaten by the vampire's lord mouth. A tongue, cold and wet invaded his soft lipping barrier, worming its way to his throat and Akihito squirmed. He couldn't avert his head since Asami's cupping hand secured his jaw perfectly. Bubbling with anger, the boy socked him to the cheek, liberating the undesired French kiss.

Asami glared at him with icy dissatisfaction.

Akihito gasped in deeply for air supply. "You bloody perverted, piece of …!" As he continued to insult Asami, the vampire lord's eyelids narrowed, burning holes into the boy, though not enough to quell his foul mouth.

Asami snubbed the blond's harsh language before hoisting him up from his feet by the waist – eliciting a yelp – and tucking him under his armpit as if Akihito was his precious teddy bear. The vampire lord had selected his bride, that was one stage complete, now it was time for the binding ritual. He carried his chosen prize out of the mines and pass the captured dwellers who stared in pity at the colony's only heir throwing a frenzied fit under his curving arm.

Akihito spat a chain of profanity, exhausting the entire list known to him. He thrashed, twisted his body side to side, wriggled like a stranded fish, gritted his teeth, flailed his unrestrained limbs to hit him and caterwauled louder than a dozen babies crying. Their gazes met and Asami smirked down smugly. Akihito scrunched his whole face into a frown of discontent and crossed his arms while pouting. The vampire lord chuckled at his cuteness, although that's not what Akihito was trying to convey. How was he suppose to wrench free?

The boy spotted a sword attached to Asami's belt and he motioned his arm to sneakily grab it but was caught mid-way by Asami's glower. Akihito faked an innocent chuckle before shrinking back into his shell. Oh how he wanted to wound his captor in the eye at this moment, but there was a fear of severe punishment refraining him from doing it. Even if he did, it was the Great Lord Asami, one whom you must not defy, ever! He cried on the inside, a bitter fate was set upon him and it claimed him prematurely.

Out of the blue, two voices, each from a different gender hollered at the two. "Stop Asami! Give Akihito back!"

Asami whisked his head back to check. Behind him was the chieftain, revived from his unconscious period and carrying another stalagmite – ready to shove it down the vampire lord's throat. The other was a woman, blond and adorned in wolf fur and fairly barbaric in nature and not the elegant type he was used to seeing, he also assumed that she was Akihito's mother. The two were visibly enraged and pursued him like an overprotective mother lion would. "Damn, angry parents…" Asami bolted in a hurry.

"Eri, father!" Akihito face lit up brightly with a feeling of hope. "Save me! Don't let him take me!" He waved his arms towards them.

"Akihito!"

"Aki-kun!"

The couple worried beyond comprehension tailed after the madman who had dared to take custody of Akihito without their approval. But a blond guard brawny like the chieftain and his subordinates intercepted the couple, baring them from ruining their master's hunt.

"Step out of my way right now!" Masato ordered aggressively.

"Move it!" Eri tried to pry the brute aside.

Suoh shook his head impassively. Squeezing through the line of Silverbloods, a bespectacled man emerged. "I'm sorry chieftain, but my sire has instructed that you may not interrupt his hunt." A speck of shine reflected off his glasses mysteriously. "Besides, your too late, the binding ritual has already begun," Kirishima smirked.

Such smart talk resulted in a flying stalagmite towards the four-eyed's direction by the chieftain.

Finally outside, Akihito witnessed the Bloodmoon for the first time and it didn't quite warm him or struck an awe, it actually did the opposite, it reminded him of a living nightmare. Yes, a real living nightmare where he was trapped and forced into a marriage. He shouldn't even call it a marriage, it lacked the appropriate setting and the blissful vibes. This should be called slavery.

The vampire lord noticed the garrison stationed out here were sprawled out all over the forest floor, some just awakening and rubbing their stiff necks, others still asleep. Livid and consternated by what happened to his men while he was down in that cave, he stalked to a nearby Silverblood resting against a tree stump whose droopy eyelids slowly arose.

"What happened here?" Asami interrogated sternly. Akihito squirmed uncomfortably, Asami's bone crushing arm was constricting him.

"Oh Asami…" The man looked to him confusedly.

"What happened?" He repeated.

"Oh, well. My friend over there," the soldier pointed tiredly, "was about to bind to that young cave dweller when POOF! And all we see is white light. And the sorcerer, I think he took the lad with him." He scratched his tilted head to try and recall his memory.

Asami did not look pleased with the news except for Akihito, his smile widened to life. "Val and Halvir made it out?! Yes!" He cheered. "Wait, what about me?" His voice died and he frowned miserably from realization.

Asami snarled at the boy's rejoice over a matter he considered highly problematic. The sorcerer had escaped from prison, but how and what was his next creation? Was he going to replicate his potion? Feeling insecure, Asami would need to send out a search party for the escaped convict. But he was currently busy with Akihito, Kirishima would have to fill in his duty.

"Wake the others up and inform Kirishima of the details," the vampire lord instructed.

"Yes my Lord," the soldier yawned when he stretched his arms.

"I can go instead! I'm quicker" Akihito beguiled.

"No. Your coming with me." The vampire lord headed off and begun to scout for a quiet area just for the two of them.

"I don't want to go with you! Your a monster who kidnaps innocent people!"

"Innocent?" Asami found a nice secluded place behind the thick shrubs and tossed Akihito down. The leaf matter bedded his fall and Asami plopped on top of him, imprisoning him to the ground with his weight and fencing arms. A venomous glare glued to Akihito's eyes, blazing his statement to ashes. "I don't think theft, property damage and disorderly conduct is classified as innocent."

"Get off me! Get off!" Akihito fulminated as he pushed the older vampire on both shoulders with his hands. "So what if I broke a couple of rules, big deal!"

"A couple?" He laughed, "Should I go through the entire list, your crimes have cost me a lot of gold." Asami's hands greedily explored all over Akihito's abdomen, slipping under his shirt and molesting the smooth skin with a tantalizing massage as he smothered his lips on the boy's neck.

Akihito moaned feebly, "Stop please."

Asami began to rut his crotch against his partner and letting out a low vibrating and beastly growl, foreign to Akihito's ear. The boy naturally emitted a feminine pheromone which had invoked a hidden instinct within the vampire lord and it was beginning to surface under the influence of the Bloodmoon. His growls grew more animalistic and he rutted harder while nipping Akihito's soft earlobe. Akihito stifled his aroused moans as two sensitive spots were stimulated at once, but was surprised when Asami abruptly stopped his sexual attacks. The vampire palmed his right face as if he were having a migraine and grimaced. "Fucking moon…" he mumbled and grinded his teeth before shaking his head like he was trying to suppress another conscience from overtaking him.

"What are you, seriously?!" Akihito had been observing Asami's abnormal behavior and it scared him. First the impressive strength and now the monster-like growls?! Was he even a vampire? Maybe he was a rare species or a hybrid?

It took Asami a couple of seconds to recollect his composure before returning his concentration to Akihito. "One that you should fear," he answered sinisterly. A cold smile stretched across his face. "Now I shall bind." Giving Akihito no warning, he dove straight towards Akihito's left neck with his protruding fangs and bit him, stabbing deeply into the flesh and slicing through the thin vessels like four pointy skewers.

"Ngarrghhh!" Akihito shrilled in excruciating pain, his entire body convulsed and jerked violently. Whoever said that getting bitten by a vampire was pleasurable, is wrong. It hurts. His eyelid's widened to the fullest and all that came out of his mouth was air and choking rasps. Luckily the binding process was just a bite, not a feast. Asami withdrew and licked his lips to savor the metallic taste. Trails of cool blood seeped from the punctured holes and Akihito curled himself on his side under the vampire lord, shaking and whimpering. The late night frost tickled his skin as he felt his energy slowly drain.

Above the half conscious boy, Asami brushed the blond locks aside, admiring the beauty that lay beneath him. Very soon these four red dots would heal to become permanent scars after consummation. This was the binding ritual – one that brands skin for eternity.

Now it is time to commence the next ritual. Asami lifted the boy up and carried him _bridal style_ towards his noble steed.


	8. A New Home

Yah, this is probably the strongest fluffy scene written, but I've tried my hardest to keep the language M-rated.

Sorry the updates are going to be slow for the next couple of months. I'm currently working and studying at the same time.

Warning: Non-consensual and unbeta version (will edit in later days)

* * *

 **{~0~}**

 **A New Home**

Luxuriating on an armchair while smoking, Asami waited in silence. His palatial quarters accommodated a lounge, bedding and study area and also a segregated bathroom. The commodious space was decorated with exquisite furniture crafted in an antique design and the stone walls hung tapestries illustrating a Silverblood emblem: a shield of coat of arms containing two silver vipers. The paneled windows, glassed to the ceiling, are situated on both sides of his centered king-sized bed, which was now absent of it's draping canopy since his previous bed broke. The outdoor view was shut by thick curtains colored in royal red and gold – preserving the romantic dimness of a flickering fireplace and scented candles.

Lying on the vampire lord's bed, Akihito awoke. He groaned with a low hum in his throat before placing a hand on where he was bitten and felt a bandage padded around his neck.

"Your finally awake. And here I thought I had to consummate with you in your unconscious state." Asami's voice travelled at a sheer velocity into Akihito's ear, reminding him of his predicament. The boy instantly sat up, his gaze fell to the new garment he now wore – a red silk robe that exposed the V shape of his flat chest and his thighs. His underwear had been confiscated as well. Infuriated by the change of clothing inappropriate to his liking, his sharp eyes scanned for the one pervert responsible for stripping his decency.

"Asami!" He barked and pointed angrily. "Your not coming anywhere near me! That's a warning!"

Like a wooden puppet, Asami's head tilted to the side with a baleful smile. "Such aggression will not hamper the commencement of the final ritual my little bat…"

"Nobody's consummating with you tonight!" Akihito spat. His retort came out as a challenge and Asami accepted it with enthusiasm.

"Well we shall see…" The vampire lord rose from his chair, regal and imperious in his form as he stalked towards Akihito, his black night robe glided elegantly in the air. The boy, protective of his nether regions, immediately retreated in hopes to escape from Asami's carnal desires – being bedded was inevitable but Akihito stubbornly resisted.

"Come here…" Asami beckoned with his arm.

Akihito fled towards the double door, he frantically twisted and pulled the knob but it wouldn't budge open, it was locked. "Baka!" He banged his fist against the wood. Trapped like a panicking animal, Akihito swiveled to confront his hunter. "Come any closer and I'll bite you, you bastard!" He hissed and threatened him with his fangs.

"Disobeying me is not an option boy." The vampire lord sauntered closer with each step bringing destruction to Akihito's single status.

"Stay away!" Eventually Akihito could no longer uphold his belligerent stance, he scrambled to his left, staggering on his bare feet along the way. Asami contentedly shadowed his bride in every direction. "Stop following me! Can't you understand?!" Akihito used the couch as a blockade, he sidestepped left and right behind the furniture with his gaze fixed on Asami. His objective was to stall time for as long as possible, hopefully until dawn arose to cease the final ritual and save him but he knew that was not the case, eventually he would be caught.

Asami shoved the couch aside with no hassle, screeching as it was slid across the hard surface. "Ah!" Akihito gasped and skedaddled. The vampire lord appeared nonchalant at this stage, he had no worries, Akihito was stuck in this room and there was no escape for him. Asami made sure there was none.

He also planned to tire out his bride.

Around the room the couple went with Akihito disarraying the furniture, tossing books or loose items at the vampire lord while cursing out threats and insults. But things heated when Akihito threw a wooden chair at Asami, provoking him to a level where his calm strides transitioned into sprints. The horror on Akihito's face was real… he had made another foolish mistake.

He ran for his life screaming.

Sadly he got cornered.

"Noooo, I said stay away!" Akihito shielded himself with his arms folded, but Asami swiftly ducked under to swoop him off his balance and onto his broad shoulder before carrying him back to his love nest.

"Put me down this instance!" He flailed his arms and legs up and down.

"Will do soon my love."

The vampire lord unloaded Akihito onto the middle of his bed and climbed on board to cage him down against the soft mattress. Their eyes captured for a few long seconds – one pair was filled with a ravaging hunger to mate, the other pair absolutely murderous. Akihito was refusing to take a subservient role in their relationship, that's why Asami needed to remind him of his special place.

His right hand slid up to yank Akihito's hair back to gain his utmost attention. He stared directly into his light-blue eyes with searing eyes, cold and imposing. "Let me tell you something kid. You owe me a huge amount, you are officially indebted to me."

"In—indebt?" Akihito stuttered. "Can't I just pay it off?"

Asami chuckled lightly, "A cave dweller can never pay it off, considering the amount worth."

Akihito shook his head, "Anything can be paid off, if it's money I will pay it back. I promise."

Asami's left eyebrow crooked up. "Really, your treasure cave is filled with eighty thousand gold coins?"

"Eighty thousand?! Your lying!" Akihito's eyes lit up wildly.

"No I am not lying. You damaged my property, you wreck havoc to the public, you've destroyed a neutral stance between me and Prince Fei Long and worst of all…you've damaged my reputation. I already no longer want to allow you your freedom anymore, just descend with me to the deepest layer of hell…Or shall you choose the sentence for the crimes you have committed, which involves death by crucifixion for all three of you. So which path shall you take? Death to yourself and your dear ones? Or… a life of pleasure and luxury? And maybe if your well behaved I may even reconsider letting you visit that cave of yours."

Akihito stilled, clammed up and shocked by Asami's two options.

To die or to be wedded?

The answer was obvious. He didn't want to die at a young age nor did he want to witness those closest to him executed. Besides, being offered a life of luxury and a chance to visit his colony didn't sound that bad. He could always plan his escape whenever he wanted. Right now he had no choice but to swallow his pride and submit himself to the vampire lord.

"What do you chose?" Asami broke his train of thought.

"What choice did you give me? You of course!"

"You've made a wise choice Akihito. Wise choice." Asami's sinful grin curved, satisfied by his manipulative control.

"Stop grinning like that! It creeps me! Especially when your face is right in front of mine!" Akihito complained. "If you really want to consummate with me, hurry up and do it then!" He arrogantly split his legs wide open.

This inflamed Asami's arousal and he crawled in between the inviting gap. Their breaths mingled when he lowered his face. "You dare tempt me with such delicacy." He roughly shackled both of Akihito's wrist with one hand and pinned it down above his messy blond hair.

 _Ba-dump_

"Your twisted…" Akihito uttered faintly and rudely averted his head but a hand, large and firm cupped his cheeks and straightened his gaze before he was raided by unsparing lips. He squeezed his eyelids shut tight and forced himself to succumb to the ordeal. When their lungs demanded air Asami released and they gasped in deeply.

Such fervent kiss preluded to unclothing, Asami was bursting with impatience for sexual gratification. He proceeded to disrobe Akihito with dexterous fingers before tossing the thin silk aside carelessly and exposing the fine and delicate body that laid under, shy of its naked display. _Delicious_! Asami licked his lips, he took his wonderful and torturous time to ogle ravenously, never straying from the areas that it once covered.

Akihito's cheeks flushed bright pink. This wasn't his first time having sex with the older vampire however he still felt embarrassed. During the night of his punishment his conscious was corrupted by a potent aphrodisiac, but tonight was different, he was now fully aware of his surroundings. Akihito gulped, his heart thumped faster and his fists clenched nervously as he doubted his surrender.

Asami was standing on his knees with his upper body leaning vertically upright. He slowly undressed in a hot manner like he was showing off his muscular frame. Free of his clothing, he bowed forward to caress and trace Akihito's facial contours with the back of his hand. He then escorted Akihito's slender hand up to peck it lovingly. "Such beauty in my grasp," he adored. "Now be a good boy and stay put." The vampire lord left his spot to retrieve an important item. Once returned, he uncapped the lid of a silver jar and the smell of sweet jasmine wafted the area. Akihito yelped when one of his legs was suddenly thrown into the air and restrained back against his chest, giving the older vampire a full private view and he relished those spicy parts with a lecherous stare. Akihito's cheeks reddened and a sense of modesty fluttered to his thighs, adjuring him to close it off sight.

With his free hand, Asami poured the runny oil down, watching it intently as gravity facilitated its coverage over Akihito's opening – some had oozed down and dampened the blanket. The boy winced, the liquid was warm, very warm and it tingled him. After an ample amount had been emptied to glisten the skin, Asami's fingers began to slather and encircle the fleshy rim before popping inside. Akihito stifled a whimper as a warm finger travelled in and out, soon another finger crept in to join it's neighbor, then another – adept in its pressing. Akihito shifted in needy, his sensitive nerves intensified at the contact of a warmer penetrative and he was sent into heavenly pleasure by this exotic technique.

The frail squirms became noticeable, earning a faint smile from Asami, this was an incentive to him and he hardened his prods. Akihito could no longer subdue his body from begging on its own accord. His breathing was labored, muscles tensing overtime and his feet curled, sometimes twitching. "Ngn, ngh…" he moaned throughout Asami's preparation. This was just the start and he was already melting in ecstasy. Asami slid his fingers out, disappointing Akihito's building climax, and gathered his urgent bearing. He rolled his partner onto his stomach, startling the boy a little before mounting – ferocious in his leap.

"Keep still or I'll make you.…" Asami's husky tone was commanding, yet seductive. One hand secured Akihito's hip, the other directing his intimidating unit. Slowly and gently, he inserted in his erection. The blond's mouth quivered as his entrance welcomed the stretch. Though not exactly painful, he could feel a familiar thickness filling him and rubbing against almost every nerve. He smothered his voice with a ruffled pillow, cuddling it tenaciously while a hint of sadness was seen on his drooping eyelids.

This was it.

They were consummating.

Say goodbye to the old Takaba Akihito, heir of the Eastern Colony and the very essence of his manhood.

Asami begun to thrust, taking a cautious approach before gradually increasing his speed to a steady pace. The bed creaked as usual and Akihito rode along its thrill while moaning out suppressed ' _hn's_. Asami bit his lower lip and grunted deeply, raw in his throat before bending down to nip his partner's ear and brushing his face beside his. Their nude flesh danced as one, grinding in a frictionless manner.

The older vampire moistened Akihito's shoulder with his tongue, licking him and tasting his supple flesh with a bite so avaricious. Akihito bucked his hips upwards, imploring for a change of speed, he wanted a stronger stimulation but Asami denied his instinctive request. Instead he leisured at his own pace without disturbing the rhythm and agonizing the poor boy's burning desires.

The couple changed positions here and there, with the older vampire dictating their postures. The boy hated himself for enjoying this, but the spontaneous pleasure, it was too much for him to bear and it paralyzed his thoughts. Moving into the missionary position, Asami rammed his pelvis in harder, faster and stronger. He pounded relentlessly for self-pleasure, inconsiderate to how his partner would feel. His arms dug under Akihito's shoulder blades, tucking him in closer into a hug as he mated with lusty effort. Akihito arched his neck back with his mouth agape, eyes drawing to a close and hair rustling against the cotton woven sheet – drowning in a pool of overwhelming sensations. His cries morphed between pitiful whines, dry sobs, loud pants and a series of O moans.

Asami could skillfully work with his girth, driving it in and effectively targeting Akihito's sensitive organ. The boy shuddered and trembled whilst constricting his inner thigh muscles for maximum pressure and sucking him in. Asami felt his covets and hastened his thrusts to a higher level, plunging violently until Akihito flung his head back screaming for deceleration or he would explode from overstimulation. But the pleas only encouraged Asami and the speed soared, fevering his core.

Together their contractions pulsated in increments before reaching an stunning orgasm. Asami growled stridently whereas Akihito shrilled when his sweating body was racked with juddering shivers. They panted heavily, heaving their chests like they had run a marathon. The vampire lord withdrew his member and collapsed onto Akihito before diving in to seal their union with a final and passionate kiss – purging all of the boy's maleness.

Asami took his time in savoring this memorable moment.

A smacking sound was emitted when their lips parted. "You've done well my wife…" Asami praised with soft whispers.

Their eyes met.

"Wife?…What?" Akihito huffed wearily whilst looking offended. "Why do I have to be the wife of this relationship?! Why can't you be the wife?! I'm a man!"

"Because it's your place. Not mine. Don't question why." A curtly reply was enough to slam his question.

"Hmpff," The boy flicked his head to the side, dissatisfied with the new title allocated to him.

"Is there a problem with what I want?"

"No…" Akihito lied. _Of course there is a problem!_

"Good. Now, come, let us bathe together." Asami dragged his legs to the edge of the bed and sat up before offering his hand out.

"Bathe? Are we seriously sharing?" Akihito opposed this. Who knows how touchy the vampire lord may get.

"Yes we are."

"Then I'll bathe when your done."

"Your coming with me Akihito."

"I'm tired, you can go ahead of me." He waved his floppy hand as a dismissal.

"Akihito." Asami's expression fell stern, he was now ordering the boy seriously.

"Damn…" Akihito swore under his breath. He had to obey, and obey he did. He joined hands with _his husband_.

 _Several minutes later._

In the air, hot steam permeated from a spacious bath basined by white marble. On the wall, a lion's head sculpted from alloyed gold streamed out gentle flows of pre-heated water. Akihito hung at the farthest corner of the bath, distancing himself away from Asami as much as possible and never letting his guard down. As he went on cleaning his tainted body with a sponge saturated in aromatic soap, goosebumps spiked, he could feel Asami's presence eyeing him amorously. He crouched lower and submerged his chest into the water's warm embrace and continued on scrubbing.

"Akihito," Asami called over, "come here."

"Later I'm busy." Akihito exfoliated harder, agitating the water. A sudden ripple from Asami's side scared him and he reacted based on his instincts, "stay away!" Akihito yelled and hurled the ball of sponge at him.

Asami snapped his neck to the right and dodged it. He didn't look too happy with Akihito's disobedience. "It appears I have to punish you for disobeying me." He rose from his relaxed state, austere in his glare as water trickled down his well-defined body.

Akihito's danger alarm sounded and he knew he had to hop out of this bath or else… But it was too late, the vampire lord's devilish paws latched onto his narrow hips.

"Asaaaamiii you perverted bastarrdd!"

 _Oh Aurieas, how am I suppose to live with this sex-crazed demon?!_

…||[]||…

The private quarters was well lit and tidied to perfection and the curtains were spread open, allowing the light of a thousand stars to shine through. Akihito groggily awoke to an empty bed, desolate of a spouse. Asami had disappeared without giving a reason why, perhaps it was work related and the urgency called for him. Akihito laid there naked, blanketed up to his collar bone and abandoned on the eve of his first day as newlyweds. However he didn't care, in fact he was quite relieved to be alone, there was no need to exchange awkward morning pleasantries, plus he could freely hog the bed or maybe use this spare time to plan his ultimate breakout.

Akihito's colony was a two hour walk from the castle, if he were to escape, he would need to steal a horse, take Eri along with him so she wouldn't be hanged in consequence for his actions, journey up north and seek refuge in the human territory where a search party dare not tread lightly, and bunker in with Halvir and Val, then later devise a plan to rescue all of the captured victims. That might work but he needed a solid plan. He cannot stay here for long otherwise his vulnerable heart would be snatched away by Asami.

He cannot fall in love. That was his rule.

Akihito yawned and stretched out his cramped muscles, only to greeted with a jolt of pain sourcing from between his inner thighs and hips. "Ack," he yelped and shifted in discomfort. Just like the aftermath of his punishment, he experienced it again. To worsen the damage, Asami did it twice last night, nearly three after their bath but Akihito had fainted from exhaustion.

Lately his energy levels had been suboptimal and he would easily fatigue.

The cause of his symptoms?

Unknown.

Although because of it's self-limiting effects, Akihito sought no treatment.

His eyes wondered around the great room before spotting a pile of neatly folded clothes with a note on top of it on a coffee table by the lounges. Finally something to wear, no more bare skin. Akihito carefully made his way out of bed and towards the bundle before lifting up the paper to read the black-ink cursive writing.

 _Akihito,_

 _Here are some tailored clothes, my trustworthy maids Cei and Seo will settle you in your new home. Please do not request for my presence as I am busy with work. We shall meet again for dinner._

 _P.S. Look in the mirror._

"Look in the mirror?" Akihito repeated whilst scratching his head confusedly. Then he remembered the lore of the binding ritual. "Shit." He sprinted to a body mirror located near the closet and inspected his reflection. "No, no, no…" He denied repeatedly. "No, it can't be true!" He vigorously rubbed the scarred area with his palm, attempting to erase it but he can't, it was permanent and on there for eternity. "Noooo!" He wailed. This was a shame, vampires do not scar since their skin's can regenerate. A mark like this could ruin his honor and degrade his worth. "Asami you ungrateful bastard. Out of all the places you can bind, you choose my neck! Now how am I suppose to hide this?! Dammit!"

Akihito was boiling with a rage hotter than spraying lava, he had had enough of playing master and slave, Asami had always had his way. Why can't he have his? His freedom and dream was robbed and he cannot fathom at the thought of living with Asami in this castle for long! The angry boy stomped back to the bundle of clothes, shoving on the richly tailored garments one by one consisting of black long pants, long white sleeved shirt and leather boots. His outfit was royally made but he paid no attention to its intricate embroidery nor his bed hair feathering out of place. His priority was to lambaste Asami.

He stomped towards the exit, turning the unlocked knob and forcefully pulling it open. "Wah!" He gasped in surprise at the sight of two maids waiting outside. How long were they standing there? Obviously Akihito could tell they were maids, their black and white aprons signified their occupation. The two young woman looked like twins, they both had emerald eyes and had their black hair knotted into a bun, except one of them had a prominent scar slashed across her esophagus as if she were a survivor of an assassination attempt.

The maid on the left begun to speak with a courteous tone. "Young master your awake," they humbly bowed, "please forgive us for the disruption. My name is Ni Cei and this is my sister Ni Seo." She indicated to the scarred woman. "And we're here to assist with your daily needs."

 _So they are sisters! They have weird names!_

Seo gave a brief nod of acknowledgement.

"Um, yeah hi. Look I'm kind of in a hurry, where is Asami? I need to speak with him."

"Your husband has given strict orders that you are not to disturb him, he is currently attending business matters," Cei politely explained.

 ** _Your husband_** , Akihito cringed at those words. "He is not my husband! Don't ever refer to him as that!"

"But you are married according to the ancient hunt."

Akihito followed her glance to his binding scars. "It's all make belief!" He recoiled and covered his neck with his collar. "We are not married!"

"I'm sorry young master for upsetting you, shall I use Lord Asami instead?"

"Anything but husband, and stop calling me young master. Just Takaba is fine."

"But you are an Asami now."

"An Asami?! What?!…Wait, does that mean I get a bit of authority?" He lit up brightly.

"No." The sisters shook their heads.

"That's bullshit," Akihito grouched.

"It is a common practice that a bloodmoon victim will take their spouse's last name. However this does not mean they are entitled to marriage benefits such as wealth, power and inheritance."

Akihito's shoulders sagged dejectedly.

"Do you have anymore questions young master?" Cei asked.

"Yeah I do," Akihito recollected his dignity, "where is Asami?"

"He's generally in his office or down in Dracaena (the grand city of the Silverbloods)."

"Do you know his exact location?" Akihito interrogated.

"No, we are merely his personal trusted maids. Our job is to look after the castle and its occupants."

 _Useless_. "Fine then," he sighed, "I'll find him myself then." Akihito spun his heel and stormed down the corridor.

"Young master!" The maids paced after the boy. "My master has ordered that you are not allowed to leave the quarters without his permission!" They warned.

"He cannot tell me what to do!" Akihito argued and continued on moving.

"Young master please!"

When Akihito arrived at the end, his path was blocked by crossed halberds from two castle guards. "Sorry. You can't leave this area under orders of Lord Asami." Unlike the average Silverblood legions, these elite guards wore silver plated armor forged from steel and had black capes that draped to the floor. They were highly trained in combat and answer only to one master; Lord Asami.

"Why aren't I allowed? Give me an reason why?!"

"The lord's orders." The elite guards replied in unison.

"Arghh!" Akihito wanted to rip his hair out of frustration. "I don't care anymore!" He pried the poles aside but the guards motioned forward to clutch his upper arms before hauling him away to where he was quarantined.

"This is imprisonment, you can't do this to me! Let me go!" He protested while kicking his legs in the air.

They seated him onto a couch by the fireplace and left. "Bastards!" Akihito yelled.

The maids quietly made their way in as the guards returned to their posts. "Young master, all of the staff in this castle are ordered to keep an eye on you. I suggest you stay here until Lord Asami allows you to explore the castle on your own, no matter how you feel. But please do settle in here, this quarter is your new home now."

"I'm sharing?!" Akihito cried aloud.

"Yes."

"Noooo!" He howled before dropping dead to his side and burying his face into a cushion.

"Uh, young master? Are you okay?"

Akihito mumbled incoherently, his voice was muffled by the cushion.

"Young master? Akihito? Asami?" Cei gently tapped his shoulder. "I can't understand you."

Like a child throwing a tantrum Akihito tuned himself out from the world. The maids looked to each other and shrugged, unsure on how to comfort the boy. "Should we just get him morning tea?" Cei whispered to her sister. Seo nodded. "Okay, remember it has to be rabbit blood." The scarred maid grunted and left, she didn't need to be reminded on what their master had instructed them to do. Cei remained behind to keep Akihito company until her sister would return.

"Young master, I understand that your upset about Lord Asami's decisions but let me reassure you, I'm sure you'll be just fine here."

Akihito peeked his face out with his eyes downcast. "Nothing is fine. Nothing will ever be fine with that bastard," he grumbled as he lay languid with his head rested on its side.

Cei sighed heavily. "Can I get you anything to help comfort or keep your restless mind at bay? May I suggest painting, sewing or maybe reading. I think reading would be great." She strolled to a nearby bookshelf lined with thick novels and skimmed past the spines to select the one that may interest the boy.

"What about escape?"

"That's a request I cannot help you with. Any suspicious behavior or requests relating to escape will be reported to my master. I'm sorry but orders are orders."

 _Damn_. He knew it was a futile question but at least he tried.

"Oh my look what I've found, a novel by Ito Ilu. She only writes for my master but he lets me and my sister read her work when we get the chance. It's a wonderful piece of work and contains a rare taste of literature." She walked back to Akihito and offered the book to him. "Here."

Akihito accepted it unenthusiastically. "Why would she write books for Asami?" Was the author romantically involved with him? Akihito bellowed mentally. A shard pierced his heart. What happens if she was a mistress? A concubine? Akihito scrunched the novel in his palm. Why was he getting worked up for?! Was he jealous?

"I'm not entirely sure but I assume it's like a mother and son relationship from what I've seen so far."

"Mother and son?" Akihito instantly sat up with keen interest. This was unexpected. He knew nothing about Asami's personal life, maybe he should dig in and learn what type of man the vampire lord was.

"Well, she does have a lot of influence on him." Cei timidly sat down beside Akihito.

The boy scooched over a little to make room for her. "Why does she have influence?" He wanted to know so badly.

"I don't know, I don't think I should even be telling you this, however I guess I could tell you a bit about Ilu. Ilu used to be an Alvichor physic from what I know but her history remains a mystery. Although her main power resides in soul finding."

"She's a soul finder? You mean the ones the Alvichor send to journey around the world to find vampires above the third generation?"

"Yes, in fact she can detect up to the seventh generation just from the touch of your hand. Plus she can also detect an unborn child from a mother who is hiding her pregnancy. How amazing is that?!"

"Uh, amazing I guess." Thank goodness his colony had not come in contact with these soul finders otherwise the Alvichor would have burnt their corpses by now.

"What generation are you? Let me guess third? I'm third as well I've been serving my master for two decades."

 _Two decades?! Woman I'm only twenty three!_

"Yeah. I'm third," Akihito lied. All of the cave dwellers were trained to lie to the outside world in order to preserve their existence.

Cei appeared ecstatic. "Ilu will be able to see that, she's coming down to visit in three days, isn't that wonderful?! She comes to visit every year, I admire her so much, you will definitely meet her when she comes."

Akihito dropped the book unintentionally.

 _Meet her?! An ex-Alvichor physic?! Soul finder?!_

Will Asami exterminate his colony for reaching the sixth generation?! Or will he spare them?


	9. An Agreement

Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, forgive me readers. My life was too hectic this year with university exams, dealing with unhappy customers at a coffee shop and dealing with a house cat who keeps wandering off to who knows god where. So yeah I was on a long hiatus…So to make up for my busy life, chapters will be shorter but quicker in terms of release than the previous… ahem four months…hehe sorry. And further sorry for replying to late messages and comments, I haven't logged on for quite some time.

Thank you for your patience, OWLSIES loves you.

 **Furthermore, there was an error I made in chapter 8, when Ni said she served Asami for two decades, I was meant to write two centuries, sorry about the confusion, she is older than Akihito by two hundred years. I'll change that when I get to it :D**

It has caught my attention that a few readers have been confused with the whole generation thing, so I will explain it again in step form for your understanding. I've also added a few interesting facts you should read for this story:

 **Full-Blooded Vampire:** A vampire breed who was once born human and turned sometime during their life. Those who are born from generations of propagation (3/4 vampire, ¼ human) are also classified as full-blooded, despite having a bit of human in them.

 **Pure-Blooded Vampire:** A vampire descended from pure vampiric parents and lineage. Pure vampires are the rarest of the rarest, only a few live to exist. Because they have a stronger link to the supernatural world they are more powerful than the average full-blooded vampire. They are also known to have the worst fertility, most will give up on having children. Pure-blooded werewolves however are the opposite, they have the highest fertility…because they're dogs.

This whole concept is purely fictional and I question its logic sometimes, but don't worry if you don't get it, it was vaguely explained in the previous chapters.

Steps to Understanding Generation Propagation in Lonesome Vampires

 **Step 1** : Human and (full or pure) blooded vampire have sex and give birth to a half blood baby, this half blood is known as the first generation.

Human + Full Vampire = Half Blood (1st Generation)

 **Step 2:** First generation (half-bloods) can make babies with a full-blood to create a second generation. If they mate with a human, it also classified as a second generation, so same concept.

Half Blood (1st Gen) + Full Blood = Full Blood (3/4 Vampire, ½ Human- 2nd Gen)

or

Half Blood (1st Gen) + Human = Classified as Half Blood (2nd Gen)

 **Step 3** : 2nd Generations will propagate with either 1st Gen or Full Blood to create 3rd generation.

2nd Gen + 1st Gen/ Full Blood = 3rd Gen

The Alvichors have introduced a law that mating with third generations to create a fourth is punishable by death. Unlike humans we don't evolve in a short span of generations, vampires do, because its not natural.

 **Step 4** : Akihito is a fifth generation (human + ¾ Full Blood), that's all you need to know thus far.

The end of the lesson.

You may progress onto the main storyline…

Unbeta…version.

* * *

{~0~}

An Agreement

Down in the tribal cavern, flaming torches and metal pitchforks were raised furiously in the air, their animosity deepens, burning with a hate so strong that the teachings of peace could no longer quell their malice. The cave dwellers had lost eight young and lively members of their colony, including Akihito. Val had not returned since his taking, hence his name was added to the count.

"Heave that way!" The chieftain ordered directionally to a group of men.

"Yes chief!" They responded in unison. Takato and Kou were among the laboring force. The two friends were determined to set Akihito free, they had vowed to the chieftain and Aurieas that no matter how long or hard it would take to complete their rescue mission, they will try.

"Okay men!" Masato unrolled a paper containing the blueprints of a trebuchet. "Now we shall build our ultimate weapon and show them our strength!" He roared with a thunderous voice. How dare he take my son! I'll make him pay! Masato clenched his teeth viciously. Fate was cruel but he wasn't going to let it defeat him.

"Revenge!" The restless gather clamored loudly. "Crush the Silverbloods! Bring the victims back! Fight back!"

The sound of hammers nailing down metal bolts into hard wood echoed throughout the cavern.

Meanwhile on the other side…

Akihito explored every inch of Asami's…well their quarters now, leaving no furniture unturned. He wanted to know every secret Asami had, his weakness, plans or hobbies. But to his disappointment, the vampire lord's slate was clean. Ridden of all personal materials that not even a single document could be found laying around. Maybe they were piled in his private office, after all Asami wasn't stupid enough to let a stranger wander into his household without relocating his confidential information to a safer place and out of reach. Akihito had not yet earned his trust. The boy sighed heavily before moving back to the lounging area and slumping down onto a couch. There was nothing in his interest to do, reading a novel packed with academic literature wasn't his cup of tea and the rabbit blood tasted barney with a hint of hay, farm animals were the worst. "This is pathetic, I'm not a prisoner…" Akihito grumbled under his breath, his laid his elbow on an arm rest with his legs spread open in a lazy manner, often shifting his sore back up, down or sideways to find a comfortable seating posture.

He had a few glimpses outside the window here and there, hoping to catch a few open spots for a chance of escape, he had three days before that physic would expose his generation. Evidently, it was constantly guarded with armed sentries whom have doubled in numbers and patrols since the sheep incident. Akihito was locked in tight. Jumping down could possibly result in a serious injury or a broken leg, this quarter had to be on the second highest level, even if he did use a rope tied to a balcony rail, the guards at the bottom floor would detect him abseiling down, he would need to be more innovative than that. Asami had him on surveillance in every corner, twenty-four hours a day.

The maids had dismissed themselves long ago, they had other duties to attend to, if Akihito required their assistance he was taught on how to 'ring the bell', which was technically a fancy rope by the door linked to the servant's quarters and could be pulled anytime to call for room service. Despite the luxurious comfort available for him to bask in, Akihito felt lonely, the great space was filled with emptiness and wherever he turned to there was no one but silence. He sat there reminiscing, his mind escaped into his own world where true happiness lingered. He missed the idyllic cave, the rocky smell of limestone and the kindness of his people, and as a tribe that worked and lived together since birth, it felt as if he was torn from a family he loved. That pain of separation would have been worse if the distance between Asami's castle and his home was further away. He imagined how his father felt, to lose a son he'd had raised since birth, it must of gored him right in the heart.

"This is so boring! Asami you heartless bastard give me freedom! You can't keep me locked up in here and leave me to peril!" Akihito got up from his spot before stomping irately around the room, for his sanity was starting to break and he couldn't relax, the longer he sat there, the more mental he became. On top of that he had too many emotions spiraling through his troubled mind all at once, with the first one being confusion. Like any new pet introduced to its new home, Akihito felt as if he was thrown into an alien environment unfamiliar to his liking and every occupant in the castle was a stranger to him. The second was loneliness and the third was anger, he wanted to know why he was chosen, aside from being indebted, and how to reverse the bindings. And lastly, fear. He had the fear of his colony being harmed, yet at the same time he wanted to abscond to the distant lands.

At last he exploded.

"That's it! I can't take this anymore. He can't boss me around!" He stormed out of the room, this time with the audacity to confront those elite guards.

Halberds crossed once again. "Stop, you shall not pass under orders—"

"Yeah, yeah I get it." Akihito gave them the attitude. "Hey look its Lord Asami!" Akihito pointed to their backs dramatically. The elite guards were not fazed by the boy's attempt to trick them. Instead they remained neutral in expression and without further ado they manhandled him back to his quarter. "I have rights!" Akihito struggled and thrashed his shoulders. They shoved him through the door, closed it and left. But it wasn't locked, so Akihito tried once more. This time he sprinted at full speed past them while they were busy walking away.

"What?" The guards were startled by Akihito's sudden bold move. "Oi stop, come back!" The two Silverbloods chased after him with the fear of being scolded by their master for failure to conduct their duty correctly. Akihito ran around the corner, only to be greeted with more guards at the end of the hallway. "Get him!" They spotted the escapee.

"Ah shit!" Akihito was trapped and surrounded on both sides. Thrice he was caught on his first day here. They carried him with his legs and arms restrained and carelessly tossed him back into his prison before a higher ranked elite locked him inside with a spare master key. "Let me out! Let me ouuuttt!" Akihito repeatedly banged the door with his fists.

Hours passed and Akihito had drifted off to sleep on the couch as a result of extreme boredom. The sound of double doors closing awoke him from his comatose state. He jerked out of surprise before shooting upright to see who had entered.

"I've heard you've been naughty," came the deep voice of the vampire lord. "Desperate to run back to your cave are you?" Asami sauntered closer to his mate. "You know you can't escape from my watch." He lightly brushed Akihito's blonde locks aside with the back of his hand.

"Don't touch me as you please!" Akihito slapped his hand away from his face.

"Is my wife upset?" Asami purred, he enjoyed teasing Akihito. It was fun.

"What do you think?!" The blond erupted. "Stop calling me wife and look at this!" He hastily showed Asami his scars by folding his collar aside. "You did this! How can you do this to me?! Unbind these scars now!" Asami held a stony glare, he didn't appreciate the fact that Akihito was shouting at him and forgetting his place. This untamed behavior calls for another punishment. Asami pushed Akihito onto his back before crawling on top. Akihito yelped as his head fell against the cushion. Asami's tough hand, just one, had enough strength to cuff both of Akihito's wrists together. "Get off me!" The boy tried to twist and wriggle free.

"Your manners are appalling. One does not simply challenge my authority. You have guts little bat. I may need to discipline you with harsher techniques," Asami said with a cruelness to his voice.

"NOO!" Akihito kneed the older vampire's stomach without inflicting significant damage but enough to prompt a response, just as when Asami was about to lunge forward to attack Akihito with an unforgiving kiss, a maid knocked on the door, halting him midway.

"Master dinners ready!" Ni Cei innocently ruined their so-called intimate moment. Not that she knew what was happening behind her master's closed doors, but she had an idea about what may happen after dinner, after all she was the one who was ordered to prepare a weekly supply of lubricants, lotions and oil fragrances for the couple.

Akihito seized this moment to sneak out but Asami latched onto his sleeve before pulling him back down. "Stay seated with me Akihito." He whispered and tucked the boy in closer with a sneaky slap to his thigh.

"Get your filthy hands off my me!" Akihito fussed as he shooed away Asami's perverted arm wrapped around his lower back, but it remained adamant to give him space.

Asami cupped Akihito's chin upward and guided it to face him, forcing his attention to those stern lines of his eyebrow. "Punishment will come later," the vampire lord instilled with a threatening squint. Akihito gulped, judging from Asami's serious tone, he knew that it had to be something related to sex, hopefully not torture. "You may enter now!" Asami answered.

Seo opened the door for her sister. Ni entered and placed a silver tray containing two goblets onto a short legged table. "The left is for you master and the right is for the young master." This was an informal dinner, as blood drinkers a table was not needed, dining on a couch meant closer contact with his captured toy and Asami preferred it on this occasion.

"Thank you Ni, you and your sister are dismissed," Asami said

"Yes master." The two bowed before leaving the quarters.

"Eat up as much as you want, you can request for more if needed," Asami transferred a goblet filled with warm blood to Akihito as he took his before relaxing back. Akihito accepted the drink, a small growl in his belly impelled him to hush it.

"Don't tell me this is human Asami." Akihito took a quick sniff, evaluating the smell and determining the origin, although it didn't smell exactly like human to him.

"It's rabbit, your favorite isn't it?" Asami had a habit for swirling his goblet before drinking, he hated it when blood coagulated. Feeding directly from a human's neck would prevent the need to stir whilst maintaining its warm temperature, however he knew Akihito would be opposed to this live feeding therefore he kept it discrete for now.

"How did you know it was my favorite?" Akihito looked confounded, then he remembered…

 _Flashback_

In Vldörf's main market.

"Oh my look at all these delicious furry creatures. Look!" Eri signaled Akihito excitedly and pointed to the cage. "Rabbits, your favorite Aki-kun! Lets buy some."

"I don't like rabbit," Val interjected, "they're too small and lack enough blood to feed. Let's get a sheep instead."

"We always get sheep, even at home," Akihito complained, "rabbit blood tastes better. I'm craving for it."

Obtaining a sheep was easier since they can be bought or hunted in the wild, however rabbits are rare in the Eastern parts. These bucktooth vegetarians were seen as a nuisance to crops and are killed on sight to decrease their booming population. And yes Silverbloods do have agriculture. Compared to the Alvichors who refuse to integrate with the rest of the world, Asami stood out to expand his wealth and power by conducting business with all races. When Asami announced his plan for farming, the Alvichor overlords laughed and derided him, even by going far as sending him a wooden hoe as a good luck present. Needlessly to say, Asami had the last laugh. Drought and irregular land formation in the human lands resulted in a massive demand for food supplies, the rich would pay with gold but the majority of the poor would pay with their blood in return for food to feed their starving families, reports of death from anemia are not uncommon. Immoral dealings like this infuriated many Aurieas followers, the Silverbloods were taking advantage of the needy.

"It isn't any different from sheep," Val argued, Akihito's stubbornness irritated him sometimes.

"Yes it is, its thinner and sweeter. Sheep tastes barney, I hate that taste."

"So do rabbits if they were raised in a barn! And plus the price for these carrot eaters is expensive!"

"It's cheaper here than where we get them," Akihito caviled on.

"Fine." Val gave in to please him. "Have it your way! But you're carrying them!"

 _End of Flashback_

"Don't tell me you were spying on us in the markets?! How did you know we were in Vldörf in the first place?! Did you know it was us the whole time, even at the party?! How Asami? Tell me! You tricked us didn't you?" Akihito became indignant and thoughtlessly waved his arms around with the goblet still in his grasp as he spoke loudly.

"Careful Akihito, you almost spilled your drink on me," Asami warned, "I'll make you clean it with your mouth if it does."

"Whatever!" Akihito slammed his goblet aside so he could properly interrogate the older vampire.

"Don't underestimate my ability to track your every move Akihito. Besides, if your smart enough, I'm sure that small brain of yours should have no problems in piecing the puzzle together."

"What do you mean?" Akihito's voice grew demanding.

Asami reached into his pant pocket. "This belongs to you." He retrieved out an empty coin purse and held out it before dropping it into Akihito's palm.

The boy stared wide-eyed at his purse as he processed everything, he cannot believe what was in his hand! Oh how he wanted to beat his stupidity to pulp, darn his generosity! "That thieving bastard was a spy all along?! Now I understand! And he took all of my money as well!"

"Vldörf is soon to become mine, every inch of that city is under my watch. Your coming wasn't unexpected."

Akihito scrunched the purse in his fist. "Why didn't you arrest us in the first place if you knew we were there?"

"Then that would ruin the enjoyment, wouldn't it? Besides, that dress suited you very nicely. Maybe I should get my servants to have one specially made for you."

"Don't you dare!" Akihito growled defensively. His fist clenched tighter as he restrained himself from attempting to punch the older vampire across the jaw and wiping off that cheeky smile from his face, never in his entire life was he going to become Asami's little dress up doll. But putting that matter aside, there was one more question Akihito was itching to ask, he sighed in heavily. "Out of all the woman you could have, why me?"

"Because I get what I want," Asami leaned in closer and loomed over him intimidatingly. Akihito shriveled backwards, "…and what I want is your body."

"Pfft, You don't even know me." Akihito scoffed and averted his head at the pathetic answer.

"I don't need to, your only job in this castle is to pay off the debt you and your pathetic cave bats owe me." Asami was acting like a cold-hearted monster, he didn't care about Akihito nor his feelings, all he cared about was his own wealth and satisfying his own sexual desires, typical rich people.

This stung Akihito. To be worth that low in their fake marriage, Akihito wanted a divorce ASAP. "I'll pay off your debt you bastard, what do I have to do to pay it off, sleep with you?!"

"That's a start, how about I propose something. Every time you serve your body to me, I'll deduct one hundred gold off from your debt. Or shall you choose hard labor, your choice. "

"Only one hundred?! That means I'll have to sleep with you like eight hundred times." Akihito cried internally, he imagined himself in the future, covered in a white cast, restricted to bedrest and walking crookedly with wooden crutches under both of his arms after his debt had been paid off. Sex was pleasurable with a human, but with Asami, a vampire lord descended from an unknown supernatural origin, pleasure was bounded with pain. But this was an option he would need to consider taking. If he had chosen a job as a menial laborer, the highest pay grade would be about fifteen gold coins per month, and that would undoubtedly take much longer to pay off and perhaps extending his stay to at least three centuries, of course Asami's proposal would entice him.

"Well, well, you cave bats know how to do your math. I'm impressed."

"And after the debt is paid off, will you let me go and also unbind these scars?"

"I will grant you your freedom, and with the binds I will find a spell breaker to release our bloodmoon contract."

"What about the others? Can they go free as well?" Akihito negotiated.

"No. They are not under my control, their spouses are. But I can enforce a law which allows the victims to visit their families once a year, if permissible by their partner. Do we have an agreement?"

It wasn't good enough but it was better than nothing. "Fine." Akihito exhaled dejectedly. Another contract had been locked on, let's just pray he would survive this. And indeed he prayed.

"Good. Oh and one more thing, if you shall dare to escape or even disobey me, I will seize a portion of your paid debt and you will have to start again, understood?"

"What?!" Akihito shook his head in disagreement. "That's abuse of power!"

"No Akihito, its business."

"You bastard! Fine! You want me too be your whore, so be it!" Akihito hurriedly unbuttoned his shirt. "Hurry up and get this over and done with so I can go home!"

A wide smile stretched across Asami's face. "Determined aren't you little bat."


	10. Clean up Boy!

Hello my lovely fans, I'm back and yes I was very close to abandoning this story because of my stressful lifestyle but after reading your lovely words in the reviews I knew I couldn't abandon you, so thank you, you've brought me back. This fanfic is well and truly alive, so bear with me if its a little slow. I'll try my best, my job hours have improved to fit in some nice writing time at last. In the previous chapter I had proclaimed that I would write shorter chapters for quicker release, but I rather put in the effort and detail than give you some rushed crap. I hope my readers are still here, owlsies is very sorry.

Okay aside from the apologies I've also decided to go back and extend the bloodmoon hunt to two chapters because it was rushed and better detail could have been incorporated to make the chasing a little bit more interesting, and the hunt is basically the essence of the story. So keep an eye out for bloodmoon I and bloodmoon II. I am also editing the previous chapters to make it flow well, but don't worry, everything in the plot till now isn't going to be altered.

* * *

 **{~0~}**

 **Clean Up Boy!**

On the day of the Bloodmoon Hunt...

"Stop the horse now!" Vald shouted desperately. There was anguish in the his tone of voice. Halvir roughly yanked the reins of the horse, making it neigh uncomfortably before forcing it to a halt. The sorcerer's long-grey cloak majestically swayed with the cold breeze. The hood he wore gave his character a shadow of mystery but underneath that shrouded outfit, eyes of worry hovered over Vald's shoulder.

"We have to go back." The young vampire implored — almost breaking. His hands clenched tightly onto the reins Halvir was holding, demonstrating his will to wrestle it off from the sorcerer and commandeer it if he didn't agree to his demands. "We can't leave them. Especially Akihito, not to that monster." Intrusive thoughts of the rituals being performed on Akihito tormented him. Vald felt a strong impulse to turn around.

"Vald. We can't. Not at this moment. But we can...later. You have to let Akihito go for now. Its too late. I won't let you go back. They are targeting you too, remember that! That's why we have to leave now!" His words of reason were falling on deaf ears.

"We have until dawn to stop them!" Vald argued back.

Halvir's fine eyebrows twitched with irritation. At this very moment, he had only one selfish goal... to get Vald to a safe and secure hideout, even if it meant that others had to be sacrificed.

"Enough! Listen to me Vald, take a look at this!"

Fed up with the vampire's stubbornness, the sorcerer seized the reins off from Vald completely and repositioned the horse to face the scene that lay before them. From where they stood on the rising hilltops, they had a view that oversaw the forest stretched out for miles. The flaming torches that the soldiers used to light their path bloomed a collective glow of orange, deep within the forest floor. From what Vald deduced there was a small concentration of enemies seen gathering in front of the entrance to their cave — definitely the distraction party. Whereas a larger group was seen lingering outside their secret passage – the main party.

However what caught their attention the most was the activity below them, there was a search party scattered in all directions — sent to pursue after them. Eventually bounty hunters from all over the country would soon be notified of their crimes and a few recruited as well, and knowing Asami, the reward would be worth its weight in a pile room full of gold. This would lure in many who fancy for wealth, adding peril to their livelihoods wherever they travelled.

After witnessing the imminent danger of being captured, this knocked Vald back into reality. If he was caught, who would rescue Akihito or his people? No one could — not without his or Halvir's help. So escape was their priority at this stage.

Vald's determination became smothered by a feeling of helplessness. Defeat was hard to accept — he was abandoning Akihito and it took a toll on his pride. His sad eyes diverted elsewhere, paying no heed to those pursing after him but to a set of lights that was traveling back to the castle. Judging from those lights, it was likely Asami and his bodyguards, and they were moving at a rapid pace, probably to begin the final phase of the ritual.

Vald gritted his teeth and balled his fist in fury as he lowered his head. "Akihito..." He muttered uneasily under his breath.

Halvir didn't need to ask Vald how he was feeling, his weakened demeanour was obvious to the naked eye, and without saying much the sorcerer brought him closer to his chest and embraced him with a consoling hug from behind. "Lets go," Halvir whispered softly. The vampire gave a muted nod of approval. It was time to leave...

Two days had passed since then and the two fugitives were taking shelter underneath a small cave that was abandoned from wild animals. It was the early afternoon but the skies were not calm, nature had been unforgiving to them, for a torrential downpour and smiting thunders had forced them into hiding, in luck Vald had spotted an opening in the edge of a cliff that was cosy enough for the two to seek cover in and wait for the storm to roll by. Their cave was located within the land of rocky mountains that acted as a border between the human and vampire territory. The terrain here was arid, mazy and often dusty, a few resilient shrubs can be seen perched on odd angles of the land, and life forms that thrived here were commonly scavengers, many whom have waited patiently to feast on the rotting flesh of starved corpses. When it rained, low lying areas were at risk of flash floods and landslides. And for those who don't have a safe path to follow through the harsh landscape, their fate was in the hands of mother nature's cruelty. For those who do have a route, this enabled them to acquire a safe passage and a shortcut to and from the human lands without needing to go around, thus shortening their trip by two weeks, that was how far the mountain range expanded to.

Halvir added a bunch of dry grass to feed the campfire. The fragile flames reached out to its sustenance, curiously licking it before greedily devouring it. Its strength grew as he nursed it to health. Vald was nestled next to the sorcerer's crossed legs where his head was a mere pat away, he was curled on his side underneath a large cloak that Halvir had given to him for a comforting rest. The vampire was exhausted and the heavy pattering of rain seemed to have a somnolent effect on him. The sorcerer caressed Vald's temple tenderly as he watched the fire warmly glowing, waxing and waning with the faint breeze. The relaxing setting and familiar sound of embers crackling made him nostalgic of the intimate adventures the two had specially shared, this tempted him to reignite those passionate moments, however Vald needed to rest. Until then, he had to maintain his own self-control. Hence the sorcerer waited impatiently — heavily contemplating on the amorous techniques he could use to alleviate Vald's heart ache once he awoke...

Overtime the bulleting raindrops had eased down into sprinkles before abating to the East. Behind the thick clouds unveiled the beautiful night sky that was no longer murdered in red but splattered with glitters of silvery diamonds. Crawling out from under the cave, the two were ready to continue their journey, their campfire was stomped to a pile of ash, and their basic survival kit was packed into their bags. The two men didn't have a horse, they needed to deter the hunters from their primary trail, therefore their horse was abandoned on the side of the road then wacked with the end of Halvir's staff, causing it to flee off wildly at a particular direction. With no transport they resorted to walking until an opportunity to steal a horse came by, and that opportunity was just around the corner.

It was mostly silence as they steadily trudged up a long hill, the mud was slippery but they were careful not to rush. Sometimes their foot became stuck, requiring one another to help the other companion out of its swallowing grip. It costed effort with every step and by the time they had reached the top, they were panting. But as they were catching their breaths, the voices of men raucously speaking can be heard afar. Startled by the presence of people who could potentially be their enemy the two instinctively sought cover. Halvir and Vald crouched lower to minimise their visibility in the dark before whispering in a hurried manner and creeping to the side with caution. They used their hearing senses to locate and investigate who was nearby. The echoing voices led them to the edge of a steep hill where below them was a narrow road. The two hid behind several large boulders that provided them concealment as they spied down below.

"Hurry up dig!"

"I am!"

On the road, a berlin carriage was seen partially buried under a mass of wet-rocky debris. What was left exposed of the vehicle was its elegant back and front. The curtained window and dimmed lights indicted that the passenger was alive and trapped within. And it appears the entourage it was travelling with were in panic. Five men, fully cloaked in midnight black from head to toe were seen trying to remove the debris in haste. They dug and clawed with whatever tool came in handy as their horses calmly idled to the side. Although one cloaked figure to the left appeared to be doing more dictating than actual work, and his voice was becoming increasingly strident with every passing minute.

"They don't smell human." Vald whispered to Halvir as he scrutinised their attire and race. Likewise, all vampires have the ability to detect their prey through scent. But most land type vampires have exhibited signs of diminished senses as a result of reliance on human farms and donation banks. Those who have retained their primitive traits either derive from ancient lineages, or are dependant on their senses due to their environment, for example the cave-type vampires.

"They're not human. Damn it. Could it be a Silverblood? How did they catch up so quick? What happens if they find us?" Vald fretted.

"Vald, shh. Listen to what they're saying." Halvir instructed quietly. For a mortal, the sorcerer had greater patience than Vald. The human had a feeling that this couldn't be the Silverbloods that were after them. The carriage was facing the opposite direction, meaning that it was headed towards the eastern vampiric lands and not the northern human lands.

"Hurry up and move this stone you lazy slackers! This carriage needs to be free! Lady Ilu we're almost through this!" The superior with an irascible temper hollered.

"Who's Lady Ilu?" Vald looked to the knowledgeable Halvir. "Is she a Silverblood?"

"Likely, if she's headed back to your homeland." Halvir paused to think. "Name sounds familiar though."

"Pst, Is she one of Asami's investors?" Vald pestered him for answers.

"I'm thinking."

"If its just five bodyguards why don't we just take them out?" Vald suggested outright.

This caught Halvir's attention and their eyes met with the same idea, like light bulbs activating in sync above their heads. The sorcerer quickly brought a satchel to his lap containing his spare magical scrolls and items that he had secretly hidden underneath a tree for emergency backup, prior to Akihito's infiltration mission for the list.

"We have two crystal shards left. Lets just hope we don't have to use the last one."

"We won't." Vald beamed with confidence.

"Come on you useless. Its just a bloody rock. Don't try to lift it up, are you stupid?! Drag it!" He berated at one individual, then to the another, "Roll it to that direction!" He gestured angrily.

The horses behind the men begun to neigh agitatedly, causing the superior to pause, turn and warily scan his surrounding. That was when he caught the scent of a human in the air. The superior licked his lips. "Do you smell that boys? A fresh snack is headed this way." The group stopped their task to sniff. They haven't had a drink since they descended from their travel. They were exiting the human lands, meaning that the treaty between diplomatic races would not be violated in this region.

Their fangs tingled for rehydration.

"Look sir, on the road!" One of the men signalled.

A lonely cloaked figure was headed their way. "Well, well looks like we have a lonely traveller!" The superior sneered as he drew out his sword.

As Halvir got closer they surrounded him. Their eyes glowed red and fangs hissed threateningly. The sorcerer remained calm, keeping his identity hidden underneath his hood.

"Now you have some guts wondering here by your—"

Halvir begun to make his move. From under his cloak he drew out his magic shards and activated them by clanging them into each other.

"AHH, MY EYES!" The vampires shrieked in pain as a deluge of blinding lights brighter than the sun attacked their vision. Once the lights faded, the vampires were sprawled out unconsciously on the ground.

Halvir nudged their shoulders to check that his spell had rendered them inactive. No response came from them and the sorcerer gave the clear signal to Vald whom had been watching from the edge of the cliff. The young vampire skated down the hill and scurried towards the carriage. He was curious who was cooped up inside, and of course he had his face masked by his scarf to remain anonymous.

It was most likely an aristocrat or a messenger inside but when he leaned in to take peek, a black crow emerged from behind the white-lace curtain, cawing as it examined the unwelcomed visitor. Vald snapped back a little, gasping in surprise as he was unexpectedly greeted by a bird. The crow's beady-red eyes stared unblinkingly at him and he was sure he could sense its malevolent gaze of reproach. Then behind the crow, Vald could make out a silhouette of a woman, though she appeared silent and unmoving, his heart began to thump faster, this figure had a haunting presence, particularly since it felt as if the crow was an extension of her limb.

A hand suddenly touched his shoulder from behind and he spun around quickly, nearly losing his balance in the process. "Argh! Don't scare me like that!"

"Lets go, we're wasting time here," Halvir said as he packed a few stolen supplies into his satchel. "Forget who's inside, we take what we need and go."

"Right." Vald let out a heavy sigh of relief. As they left, his gaze left unbroken from the carriage. Vald had a strange feeling about the vampire inside.

...||[0]||...

Suspicious activity was happening in the forest. It was dark, no torches lit the way, rustling and crushing of leaves was constant as light movement went about. There was multiple whispers being thrown around in the misty air. Not far away, a raven perched on a tree began to flap its wings before flying off into the night sky...

"Finally!" Akihito complained, yet cheered at the same time. The young vampire, once a lifeless zombie, sprung to life when he was informed that Kirishima will be taking him on a tour around the castle. He hopped up from the couch before joining the bespectacled secretary with the excitement of a child being liberated from his grounded corner.

"During this tour please refrain from wandering off or Lord Asami would not be pleased," Kirishima warned sternly.

"Yeah, yeah I get it. Just get on with it."

 _Tsk this brat and his attitude_. Kirishima thought. "Right follow me."

As they walked through the hallways of the castle Akihito noted the number of guards on duty as well as the key details of the area that could be helpful for his escape. To his surprise, there weren't that many guards as he assumed there would be. Sure a few had been stationed outside their private quarters to keep a close eye on him while Asami was absent. But after that, the well-kept hallways was mostly barren of life. In fact it was too quiet. It felt as if he was walking through a strict library where even the slightest whisper would reward you a scolding and the only sounds permissible was your echoing footsteps.

Akihito's frustration grew as the secretary continued to walk past the closed doors like they weren't necessary for him go in. Akihito was given a brief tour rather than a proper one. He voiced his concerns. "Why are we avoiding so many rooms?"

"I have other duties to attend to. It will consume a lot of time if we visit every room of this castle. I'm only showing you the main chambers of each level."

Akihito sighed inaudibly before crossing his arms behind his head in a casual manner. Better than being caged up in Asami's room all day. "So what's Asami doing now?" He sauntered closer to the older vampire with an inquisitive tone.

"Business as usual."

"What business?"

"Preparing." Kirishima stated without meeting the boy's eyes.

"Preparing for what?" Akihito dropped his arms as he felt unsettled by the meaning.

"Ask him yourself later tonight."

"Like that guy would tell me anything!"

The secretary chuckled amusedly. "Now back to what I wanted to say. The castle has six levels in total including the basement and the attic. The main level consists of the entrance, ballroom, kitchen and dining. The second is the library, study room and lastly Lord Asami's private office...which I assume you know where it is." He looked to the boy with an accusing stare.

Akihito shrugged uncaringly. "I suppose so."

"And the third level consists of th—"

 **WOMP!**

Something had hit the castle, though its impact wasn't earth-shattering, instead it had a mighty splosh to its hit. A smirk leaked from Kirishima's lips for a few seconds before he concealed it but because Akihito was distracted by looking outside the window he did not see this.

"I can't see from this angle!" Akihito smacked the window frame with his palm. Did his father declare war?! No this was very unlikely. This had to be another one of those stunts they use to protest. But what did they hurl over the wall and how would Asami react to the mess this time? Akihito couldn't settle his composure, he had to check out the extent of the damage since that could determine the severity of their penalty.

"It appears bats never learn. Such primitive behaviour needs taming."

That was when Akihito glowered at the secretary. "Taming...?" He scoffed at the remark before leaning up confidently and with a prideful smile that was hard to forget. Was this how the Silverbloods perceived them as — wild, then so be it. Akihito had just started paying off his fine, so regardless of what Asami mentioned last night, it didn't matter, because one night of sex wasn't going prevent him from breaking said rules. He had been curbed of his active lifestyle and was bursting to release his energy. Time to show them he can't be wholly tamed.

Akihito pointed daringly at the secretary. "You underestimate us four-eyes." And without warning he bolted off despite being informed not to do so.

"Takaba!" Kirishima reached out to him but the cheeky vampire had already made his getaway. "Oi, come back! What is he doing?"

Akihito ignored him and continued to run, he didn't know the way but for sure these corridors must lead to somewhere, hopefully to some stairs. As he approached an intersection he became discombobulated and twirled left and right, dancing awfully in circles as he was forced to take a gamble on which way to take. Kirishima's shadow was drawing near, Akihito took his chance and made a left turn. And what luck he had...spirally stairs! He proceeded to the lower grounds.

"Nope this is the basement," he mumbled to his idiotic self. He went too far down in such a hurry and the maids who were busy folding their laundry into a basket shifted their attention to him.

Akihito saw his chance in extracting quick information. "Hi there ladies, which way is the main entrance?" He waved and smiled with the captivating charm of a prince, earning a coy reaction from them. What looked like a wealthy visitor who had appeared lost in his way to them...was actually a debt-ridden man dressed in extravagant clothing.

"One level up," they signalled their hands up.

"Thanks ladies." He rewarded them with a lovable grin and they giggled shyly.

Then Akihito's face paled and his grin fell horrified. Approaching from behind the young maids was Ni Seo, as Akihito remembered the scarred-neck maid. She had her arms crossed over her chest and as she brushed past the younger maids with a surly expression, they shrivelled into obedient servants and shunned Akihito. Seo stared at him intently, castigating him with those squinting eyes since she lacked a working voice. Each step she took was unhurried but her austerity was powerful in spreading fear.

Seo spooked him and he fled from the basement immediately. Climbing up one round of stairs he finally made it to the main level. Akihito recalled a memory, this was the side stair he took in search for Asami's office in order to avoid taking the central staircase. On that particular night, finding the office was a game of luck since their gathered intel was purely based on rumours.

Akihito kept his body glued to the wall as he sneaked along cautiously. He peeped from around the corner, the entrance was clear, the double doors were left opened and no one stood guard. Akihito suddenly realised he had an opportunity to escape while nearly every guard in the precinct was distracted. A surge of adrenalin tempted him to risk it all. Half of his body begun to move on its own accord, agonising for the feel of freedom whereas the other clung to the corner crying in doubt. But the emptiness of the room beckoned him forward and he tore free from mental chains that shackled him back. Akihito scrambled for dear life and the smell of fresh air thrilled him. He was nearly out of here, just a few more metres.

"And where do you think you're flying off to, my little bat?" Asami's voice echoed from across the central staircase.

Akihito froze altogether as if someone had pressed a pause button on him. A nervous bead of sweat dripped from his forehead. He was behaving impetuously, and now, he regretted his decision that was fuelled by a false sense of success. Spinning around quickly to confront the vampire lord he put up on a defensive act. "No-no-nowhere! I just wanted to see what hit the castle that's all!"

"Is that so?" The vampire lord looked at him unconvinced. Face stern as usual.

"Yeah! Got a problem?"

Out of the blue, Kirishima came rushing to his master's side. "Sire! Takaba, he took off!"

"At ease, he's standing before us."

The secretary pressed his glasses back up with a smug look on his face as he looked down. Akihito seethed inwardly at the sight of the two. These two bastards have caused him a whole lot of misery with their scheming and underhanded tactics. They'll get a taste of their medicine one day, any form of punishment will do just as long as karma had run its course.

"Bring the equipment," Asami instructed to Kirishima quietly.

"Yes my Lord." The secretary nodded and was dismissed. Akihito harboured a strong distrust against them and disliked their every move. He watched them closely.

"Follow me Akihito, lets see how severe the damage is to my property."

Akihito radiated off a bitter air that growled keep a certain distant as Asami came closer, but the older vampire didn't heed and a caressing knuckle ran to trace down Akihito's jaw, intimately teasing him.

"Stop that." Akihito brushed his hand away from his face before turning his back with his arms crossed. Asami smiled at the so-called unhappy wife. He'd love to play with Akihito a little longer and maybe fluff him up as well but the inspection of his castle was a priority.

"Lets go."

Akihito grunted in response and followed behind. As they walked the vampire lord decided to have a little chat along the way. "Didn't my secretary warn you not to go off on your own without my consent."

"Yeah...well...he provoked me."

"In what way?"

"He insulted my people." Akihito replied before pulling a sullen pout.

"And so that gave you a legitimate reason to run off?" He flashed Akihito a disapproving look.

Akihito fought back, his fierce stare wielding conviction. "Vampires like you are always looking down upon our kind, taking advantage of us, and labelling us as a primitive race. You land suckers don't even know us! You wouldn't understand our pain or what we go through! We have rights just like you, so don't go around thinking you can tame us like animals!" His rant almost left him starving for air.

"I see." Asami responded in a low voice but his reaction was inscrutable to Akihito. As they passed the courtyard a suffocating smell was spreading uncontained from the site of the impact. It had a scent of farmyard animals and decay. Akihito looked slightly green in complexion, Asami on the other hand didn't seemed to be affected by it at all, or maybe it did bother him but he obscured it with a poker-face. Akihito could never read him.

Arriving at their destination the soldiers shuffled to the side to make way for their leader. All heads were gazed up with a look of disgust — few pinching their noses. On the side of Asami's castle an unidentifiable gunk decorated its exterior, it had a gooey texture and the revolting colour of mud. Added to the filth was animal fur and feathers, the pieces that failed to cling flew freely to those below and around it, littering the floor and getting caught in the shrubs of the royal garden.

The longer they stood there to admire a cave bat's concoction of revenge, the stronger the smell became as the obnoxious gas spewed out slowly. Soon they were reaching their limit of tolerance. Akihito's eyes were beginning to water, the tainted air surrounding them had an irritating effect. He recognised this weapon, this was the 'fire bee bomber', similar to the ones that were released in Vldörf but its ability to harm was not instantaneous. The fire bee was designed to be the ultimate weapon of vandalism and slow torture to those in its radius.

"Now someone in your colony will reap the consequences. Starting with your friends," Asami declared, his words marked death.

Akihito rushed to the older vampire, begging for forgiveness like his life depended on it. "Wait there's no real damage done to the castle. I can clean this all up, just please don't harm them!"

"Clean, you say?" Asami wanted an absolute guarantee from the younger vampire.

"Yes!" The promise in Akihito's eyes had never shone so brightly.

"Good, I was waiting for that reaction."

What threatening expression had quickly transitioned into a devious smile. This quick change of mood confounded Akihito and it made him worry about the vampire lord's real intention.

"Here it is sire!" A voice informed. Akihito turned around when Kirishima and his men dumped a pile of cleaning equipment before him.

Asami loomed over Akihito, his taller physique striking terror into him. "Now clean up boy, **to the last feather**."

Akihito gulped, such a cruel demand, was there any pity for him? The secretary handed Akihito a face respirator. "What is this?"

"A breathing apparatus," Kirishima replied to him. Akihito stared at it in his hands before curiously fiddling with it, this was his first time witnessing such an invention.

"LOOK OUT!" A soldier shouted from above. Another fire bee bomber had been hurled and it had splattered right next to the first, exacerbating the mess and Akihito's workload.

Asami sighed.

Kirishima jotted on his notebook.

The Silverbloods dispersed away like frightened ants for fresh air.

The birds dropped and fainted.

And Akihito sobbed inwardly.


End file.
